By Don Evans
Mark Twain said; “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.”
After we are born into this world, most of our life is spent seeking an answer to one seemingly everlasting question, “Why was I created.” This incredibly important question is indelibly forged into the DNA code of each individual person on planet earth; hidden within those strands of code is a divinely created purpose waiting to be discovered.
As you live through life’s challenges, its trials, and deal with the sufferings encountered throughout the days and years gone by, there will come a point where you will start seeking answers to important questions.
The one main truth within the journey along the road to your purpose is that it must have revelation along the way within a few narrowly defined avenues.
The first, regardless of your personal belief system, is the avenue of identity. “Whose you are determines who you are.” This truth operates in two arenas: 1) The world and its influence of ownership over your psychology and daily acts; or 2) As a child of God through Christ Jesus and His ownership of your soul for the glory of His Name and Kingdom.
Our personal identity controls three areas of our soul... Acceptance, Security, and Significance.
If your identity is generated from an equation reality which the world’s culture teaches, “How I perform + What people think of me + What I own + My physical body shape = My SIGNIFICANCE…” Then fear of being accepted, fear of losing your security, and fear of not being significant in life is going to flood in at some point due to an identity birthed on the world’s thoughts of sinking sand. The opposite is true as well. A Kingdom equation is, “Jesus + Me = My Significance, Security and Acceptance.” (Resulting in no fear in your life at all.)
The next avenue on your preordained roadway of life has several alleys which must be encountered: all before finding your created purpose. Those alleys can come in different order, but come, they must.
The recruitment stage: This is when we encounter a great crisis, and it’s usually more than one within close proximity of one another. Let me explain by personal experience. In one year, I had what I call, “The 4 D’s and a B.” Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, went through a terrible Divorce, and then was Demoted from a six-figure position… followed by filing for Bankruptcy. It was God’s way of revealing my true identity in Him and opening my eyes to the call He had on my life.
The Character development Stage: This is when the adversity and loss in those years following your crisis, challenges you to grow personally in the gifts and talents you’ve been given so you can know how to use them for other people’s benefit and not yours alone. What follows this stage is a restoration period. Restoration of what you lost is directly related to how you respond or react to each revealed area of weakness in your personal character.
The Cross Stage: Though it sounds religious in nature, no other word really holds the depth or description found in this process. On the way to finding your true identity and your created purpose is the need to experience betrayal. This can come in the form of family, friends, workmates or even bosses who betray you in such a way that it seems to draw blood and cut to the core of your heart.
If the reader feels like they may have experienced any of those things mentioned above, then be encouraged! You’re on the road to greatness. Why? Because no one can truly find out who they are and what they were created for without going through those processes which reveal and secure the truths of our identity and purpose.
One last thing. Purpose realized gives birth to vision. Many a person has realized their created purpose, but the great majority of those people have created their own vision as to how they will live out their purpose. This is a huge mistake. WHY? Because when we live out our own vision and not God’s vision for our lives, it will most assuredly carry with it: stress, worry, fear, hate, bitterness, etc.
Case in point… Moses knew he was created to be the “Deliverer” of his own people. But remember, “purpose realized gives birth to vision.” Except his realized purpose created a vision in his mind, as the “Deliverer,” which caused his first act to be murder, followed by his people’s betrayal and then he chose to run from Pharaoh in fear for his life. (Genesis 2:11-20)
But after Moses encountered God through his burning bush experience, then God’s chosen identity for Moses (his name means drawn out) brought Moses into his created purpose. God then revealed to Moses the vision God had for him… “deliver my people and bring them into their inheritance.”
We would all do well to remember: “No matter where you seek to find meaning and purpose... the truth is that without purpose, life has no meaning at all.”
Various thoughts and words were taken from the book by Os Hillman, “The Joseph Calling.”
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