Be Confident in purpose

Why are you here?

Purpose (noun): the reason for which something is done or created, or for which something exists.

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself “why am I here?” This question can feel pretty overwhelming, especially if you’ve never previously stopped to think about your purpose. Living in a culture that glorifies immediate gratification and fast-paced success, it’s easy to get caught up on the treadmill of life without stopping to think about the bigger picture. But living a purposeless existence eventually leads to emptiness and unfulfillment. You might be good at what you do, but if you don’t know your “why”, it’s easy to get lost along the way.

Calling + Passions + Gifts = Purpose

What is your purpose? Your purpose is found by outworking your calling in the context of your passions and gifts. In order to be confident in your purpose, you need to identify what your calling is, what you’re passionate about, and what you are naturally gifted at. When we are cultivating all three, we are living in our grace zone!

What is your calling?

The word calling can be interpreted in many ways, however the Bible tells us that our fundamental calling is clear. As Christians, we are all called to share the gospel and to tell the world about the good things God has done! Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 28 when he declares the great commission:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… (Matthew 28:19, NIV)

You are called to live out the great commission in your everyday life. There’s no greater calling in life than to bring hope to the lost! There are so many ways to outwork the great commission – it doesn’t have to be complicated.

What are your passions?

You were uniquely created by God with your own passions, interests, and desires. Not only does passion bring a sense of joy and reward, but when you’re passionate about something, it brings a deeper sense of meaning and conviction. If you’re unsure exactly what you’re passionate about, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you love?
• What do you value/ what matters most to you?
• Why are you passionate about Jesus?
• Why are you passionate about seeing your friends saved?

What are your gifts?

What are you naturally good at? It might be a sport or musical instrument, or perhaps you are gifted in hospitality or gathering people together. We all have natural giftings which can be used by God for His purpose.

Let’s get practical:

• Passions – Write a list of things that you’re passionate about.
• Gifting – Write a list of things you’re gifted at.
• Context – In what areas of your life do your passions and gifting align? How can you use this context as an opportunity to share your faith?
• Plan – Get creative and intentionally plan the ways you can share about Jesus through your passions and gifting!

When you discover the overlap between your passions (what you love) and your gifts (what you’re good at), this can be the perfect opportunity to step into your calling (sharing your faith)! Align these three areas and you’ll start living life with an unstoppable sense of purpose.