You Have a Purpose
You’re Not “Just” Anyone…You have a purpose!
Don’t ever feel sad that you “look like a mom.” (Or too old or too young…Fill in the blank with wherever you are currently at.) I have made that mistake time and time again. You see, I have tons of gray hair, I’m over 40, STILL working on reaching that ideal weight, still occasionally struggle with fears, doubts, and other bad attitudes, etc. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Ordinary life can feel so limiting, can’t it?! The mistake is believing that those things that I can sometimes see as disadvantages are holding me back rather than being able to see that where I’m currently at (flaws and all) is right where I need to be. Do you ever feel that way? Like you’re not _____ enough to live your best life? Just fill in the blank. What if those things you are insecure about are actually strengths you can use to your advantage? Let me tell you a short story about something that happened recently, and maybe I can encourage you today!
We were on vacation recently and were leaving the park for the day at Universal Studios and I noticed this girl sitting on the sidewalk all by herself. She had a red choir shirt on we had seen throughout the park that day, so we knew she was with a group. She had a cell phone but wasn’t using it. She looked up at me and asked me for the time. I sensed I should investigate further. I discovered she had been separated from her group when she stepped away to use the restroom. I can’t imagine how scared she must have felt or how worried her mom was when she didn’t check in with the group. We eventually were able to speak to a security agent and get her reconnected with her mom. I had several different opportunities to pass her off to one of the security agents at the park, but I asked her at each opportunity if she wanted me to stay with her, and each time, she was more certain she wanted me to stay with her until we found her mom. I just kept thinking how I would feel if this were my child. It also crossed my mind that I could be the one person standing between this sweet 14 year old girl and her being kidnapped and never seen or heard from again. Chances are, she would have been fine. But how do we ever know? We don’t. You see, there is a reason why I just happened to be passing by her right at that time on that day. It wasn’t an accident or a chance meeting. Why me out of the hundreds of others? I believe she was drawn to me because I look “like a mom.” We had been at the park all day, and I was not looking my best. Messy hair, clothes still partially wet from water rides, and I couldn’t have smelled my best. So why me? I believe she selected me because of those things, not in spite of them. She needed to be able to lean on a trust someone who looked “like a mom” at that moment. Deep down I was aware that I was meant to be there at the moment in time. This is because I KNOW I have a specific purpose, calling and assignments here on this earth, and I’m daily aware of opportunities to live them out.
Don’t we all live a good part of our lives wondering why we are here? What is our purpose? What are we meant to do? Scripture says to “run the race,” but where to? Which race is my race? And how? You see, YOU have a unique purpose (the reason you’re alive on planet earth), calling (what you’re meant to spend your life doing…your life’s work or legacy), and an assignment for this season (life stage, job, etc). And being able to discover and articulate these three is crucial. Can you? I know my purpose is to be an encourager, so when I was interacting with that sweet lost child, my heart just had to encourage her by staying with her until she found her people. That’s why I had peace and joy the entire time I was with her. I was living out my purpose in real time. I know my current assignments are to be a wife, mom, homeschool teacher and coach. So when I’m living these out in the midst of everyday (sometimes remarkably mundane) life, I can feel full of purpose and intentionality knowing I’m right where and when I’m supposed to be. I can live fully in this season. I’m going to be transparent with you and tell you that I’m still working on articulating my calling. We are all works in progress and it’s okay to not have it all figured out.
What’s my point? My point is that if you don’t KNOW you have a unique purpose, calling and assignments, you may just wander through life letting it all just happen to you. You may lack hope or joy because you feel you have no direction or no say in life. Or maybe life feels too mundane, like you’re in a hamster wheel running someone else’s machine, building their dreams, and you’re stuck there with your best days behind you. But if you can discover and articulate your purpose, calling and assignments, and begin to walk in them intentionally, you will begin to see your limitless potential and have a sense of peace, hope and joy in all that you do, no matter how ordinary or mundane. It won’t matter any more that you aren’t where you used to be because you will be so filled with purpose, you will know that where you are now is right where you are meant to be, flaws and all.
But how? How do we get out of the hamster wheel of life and to that place of being confident of our purpose, calling and assignment? Let me give you a little tip…ask yourself some questions…
What do I find myself drawn to or doing naturally that fires me up, gets me going and fills me with a sense of meaning?
What are the ways I’m gifted that others aren’t?
Where am I currently at in my life stage? What is before me right now? (Job, family, church, etc.)
What do I want people to say about me when I’m gone? What do I want my legacy to be?
These are just a few thought provoking questions that can set you on the right track. The more time you invest in thinking on these things and knowing yourself and how you are uniquely wired, the more confident you will be in where you are currently at. Don’t get me wrong, you may not currently be in the best situation, and may need to get out of that situation. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about finding your specific purpose in the midst of everyday life. If you’re not certain how to go about this task or need guidance and direction, it may be the right time for you to consider some coaching. I can’t believe how much difference it made for me to sit down with my coach and talk it out together. I’m still a work in progress, but I’m sooooooo much further along and so much more confident than I used to be. So what is your next step going to be?
I’ll leave you with this quote…
“We need vision to do greater things for the glory of God. When we truly know God and we see the hope of His calling and our inheritance, we will step up to do greater things. Smallness will no longer satisfy us because we know that we have a great God and a great calling.” Joyce Meyer
I am here for you,
Jessica
To meet Jessica, as well as the rest of our team of coaches, click here!