HOW TO FIND GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE?

                          HOW TO FIND GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE?

Rev. Dr. Steven Kau, Sr. Pastor of Faith Covenant Church, Malaysia

 

Waking up feeling purposeless is incredibly frustrating. You look around and see your friends and coworkers living passionate, engaged, meaningful lives. They have deep relationships, rewarding jobs and a sense of direction that compels them to hop out of bed each morning with a spring in their steps.

You know that God has something good in store for you. You don’t believe He intends for you to live a life of painful drudgery in which each day is a total drag. After all, the Bible is choke full of passages about joy. While this certainly doesn’t mean that every single day is a parade and circus, it does mean that an overall sense of gladness should permeate your life.

The Bible is very clear as to what our purpose in life should be. Men in both the Old and New Testaments sought for and discovered life’s purpose.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, discovered the futility of life when it is lived only for this world. He gives these concluding remarks in the Book of Ecclesiastes: “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Eccl. 12:1314)

Solomon says that life is all about honoring God with our thoughts and lives and thus keeping His commandments, for one day we will stand before Him in judgment. Part of our purpose in life is to fear God and obey Him.

 

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS YOU ARE NOT LIVING GOD’S PURPOSE

FOR YOUR LIFE?

1.   Life feels Like Drudgery

Do you wake up dreading the day ahead? Life can be full of mundane tasks and no one expects you to get excited for doing the laundry or taking out the trash. We all like to escape from our responsibilities at times but you may feel on a daily basis like your life is nothing but drudgery.

If this is the case, you are not living in the joy and fulfillment you should feel when you are living out your God-given purpose. When you are living a spiritually fulfilling life, even the most mundane tasks become more meaningful. That’s because you know that everything you do is for the glory of God and part of a greater calling.

2.   You Are Complacent with Sin

Another sign you are not living in God’s purpose is if you’ve become comfortable with sin in your life. Becoming a Christian does not mean you suddenly become sin-free. But it should mean you have the motivation and the power to fight sin in your life and strive for holiness.

If you are embracing sin rather than rejecting it, it’s time to make a major change in your life. 1 Corinthian 15:34 puts it bluntly, “Come back to your senses as you ought and stop sinning.”

The Bible make no bones about it, Christians should work to root out sin in their lives and put on the righteousness of Christ.

3. You Don’t Have Hope for the Future.

Are you excited for the future? Does Christ imminent return excite you? If not, you may not be a candidate for heaven. Do you have hope for the things God will do in your life? If not, you are probably not living out your God-given purpose. Some people think of hopefulness as foolish optimism that you’ll finally start using your juicer or that you’ll pick the perfect fantasy football lineup but being hopeful is so much more.

When you trust God with your future, there are plenty of reasons to get excited. Christians should be forward-thinkers. Your ultimate hope is for the day you get to see your Savior face to face and enjoy Heaven. You should also have hope for your future on earth that you’ll learn, grow and contribute great things to the world or the people around you.

4. You Feel Aimless.

Another sign to look out for is feeling aimless. Do you lack direction in your life or the drive to move forward? Maybe you feel like you are spinning your wheels and not really getting anywhere.

 

If you feel like you are stuck or you are wandering with no real goals or destination in mind, then you are sure to wonder what all your daily work is for.

When you are fulfilling your purpose, you shouldn’t feel like you are merely drifting through life. Instead, you should know what goals you’re working toward and these goals will motivate you every day.

 

 

6 WAYS TO DISCOVER GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE

So what does it mean to find and fulfill God’s purpose in your life? The six best way to discover the purpose God has for you are:

1. Go to God in Prayer.

Let’s start with the obvious. If you feel purposeless, ask God to give you wisdom and direction. James 1:5 states, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him.” That’s incredibly good news. God wants to give you a purpose. He wants to bestow divine wisdom on you. It’s not like God is holding out on you to make you miserable. He desires you to have a joyful, ambitious, purposeful life. Ask God for purpose and expect Him to give it to you.

2. Dig into God’s Word.

The primary way God speaks to us is through the Bible. This means that one of the first things you should do in your search for God’s purpose is to start digging into Scriptures.

 

 

Now, you won’t find any verses that tell you to become a dance instructor or painter but you will begin to understand the heart of God. (Ps 119:105)

3.   Determine your Gifts and Strengths.

God has given you specific gifts and strengths. Maybe you’re a math whiz or a wise counselor. Maybe you have a mind for IT or electronics or business. Maybe you’re great at organizing people and getting things done. God’s purpose for you probably involves the things you’re already good at.

4.   Determine your Passion.

What is one thing you are particularly passionate about? Really, this can be anything. Business, art, economics, alleviating poverty, whatever. If money wasn’t an issue, what would you love to do? Determining your passions often helps you figure out what God has called you to do. It’s often said that God works at the intersection of our gifts and our passions. Where do your gifts meet your passion? That may be God’s purpose for you.

5.   Bring Others into your Life.

Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” In other words, one of the main ways God will help you find your purpose in through others. A caveat needs to be made here. Your counselor should be people you trust.

Whether this is your professor, parents or friends, it needs to be people who have your back and want the best for you. You want wise counselors to help you find God’s purpose for you.

6.   Take a Solitude Retreat.

Sometimes it can be incredibly helpful to get away from it all and take some unhurried time to think, pray and journal (write down your thoughts). You don’t have to spend a week in the woods for this to be effective. Even just a day away from the hustle and grind can be hugely rewarding.

During these retreats, allow yourself to simply be still. To ponder. To ask God for direction and listen for His voice. This doesn’t need to be complicated and doesn’t require any elaborate rituals. Hebrews 11:6 is a reminder that God always rewards those who seek Him.

In the End Trust God.

Trying to discover your life purpose can be a stressful, overwhelming thing. It can seem like such a big confusing, frustrating subject. You want to move forwards but you are not sure how. You want to find your purpose but you feel like you’re aimlessly wandering.

But you can trust God to lead you where He wants you to go. As Psalm 23:2-3 says, “He leads me beside still water, He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name sake.”