Finding your God-given purpose: the first step towards healing.
Defined by the Cambridge dictionary, purpose is the intention or aim; a reason for doing something or for allowing something to happen. Some days, it feels like we’re just going through the motions without a sense of purpose most especially when confronted with difficulties and trials.
No assurance was provided to us humans that we are exempt from any challenge or problem in life, and in whatever stage we are in our career or in any aspect of life, we must acknowledge that we are also vulnerable to setbacks. But the good thing is that we can always rise above any challenge and actively undertake steps for the betterment of our well-being.
So whether we have yet to discover or have lost our sense of purpose, there is no need to fret. The foremost step to recovery from a setback in life is finding our God-given purpose, but how do we exactly find it? Let us take action and undertake the following steps:
1. Be connected with God.
Do you ever pause to contemplate your reason for living before diving into the flurry of daily activities each morning? Before we scan through our timetables and lists of to dos for the day, let us first set an appointment with the Lord to commune, talk, to pray, to worship Him, and to study His word. While it is vital to be on top of all the things that we have to do at work, in our businesses, and in our family, it is much more important to seek God first and foremost. This is what Jesus has commanded us to do in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you”. Jesus commanded us to make Him our utmost priority then everything else that we need He will provide.
He has also promised us in Jeremiah 33:3 that if we call unto Him, He is there to answer our prayers. Regularly talk to Him and be open about what you’re going through in your life and ask Him to reveal His purpose for you. Draw near to Him and be open about your struggles, and with His vast wisdom and deep understanding of your situation, He will surely uncover His purpose for you.
2. Hold on to God’s promises.
The bible is a minefield of promises that we can always hold on to and take anchor on especially when we are at our lowest of lows. In Romans 8:28, Paul assures us that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”. Is it His purpose to make us suffer and go through tough times in life? No, but God assured us that everything that is happening is aligned with His purpose for us. We may be suffering right now but God comforted us with His word that in the end, this suffering will not go to waste, that what we are going through is for our own benefit. It may be so difficult to think about good things amidst bad situations, but Jeremiah 29:11 guarantees us that His plans are for us to prosper, not to harm us, to give us hope and a future. This gives us assurance that in the grand scheme of things, He is always in control of our situation. We only need to explore His Word, hold on to His promises and be comforted that He has a special purpose and plan for us.
3. Seek God’s wisdom. We have already talked about how important it is to prioritize our deep connection with God. He is omniscient and has total knowledge of what we’re going through, but he Has also appointed certain people to help us in our journey to finding our purpose. God has placed spiritual shepherds and individuals who can provide wise counsel for our situation. They can offer us meaningful and insightful advice and encouragement and help us in our pursuit of our God-given purpose.
Finding our purpose and being rooted in it prevents us from being off-centered and from being further discouraged or hurt from the challenges we have encountered or are facing at the moment. By having a deep connection with Him, by holding on to His promises, and by seeking godly counsel, we will know that God’s purpose for us is not to remain in that state of hurting or frustration forever, but to go beyond all that and to relish in His goodness in our lives. He is and will always be there for us in our journey. Let us take those steps towards progress and be guided by God’s special purpose in our lives.