I think it’s very interesting that I’m the one scheduled to write the blog this week since our word this week is purpose and I’m writing this from Nashville. Those of you who know me know that Nashville has been on my mind since I was a little girl. My dream was to come here after I graduated from high school and sing on the Grand Ole Opry. Go big or go home, right!
Life didn’t quite go the way I planned, but I finally did get here….just 25 years later than expected.
So why did it take me so long, you may be asking? There’s a lot of story in the why, but the main point is I wasn’t brave enough and I didn’t trust God or myself enough. I made excuses for why I couldn’t follow where God was leading me and blamed other people along the way. It took a crisis in my life, my divorce, to finally make the choice that nothing was going to stop me from following my purpose, which is music.
And as I sit in the place that I dearly love, I wonder, why do so many of us do that? Why do we often wait so long to follow God’s calling in our lives? And unfortunately, I’m very aware that some of us never do take the risk and follow our calling. And that truly breaks my heart!
Because I can tell you from personal experience, when you do walk down the path of your calling, you will be filled with absolute joy!
I am a firm believer that we are all created ON purpose FOR a purpose, and it’s up to us to DISCOVER and LIVE OUT that purpose. Bottom line, purpose is a gift. It’s the way God uniquely created every part of our being, from our talents to our interests to our personality. It’s all a beautifully crafted work of art, a gift waiting to be opened.
Here’s another way to look at it: Not living out your purpose is like failing to open the most beautiful package you’ve ever seen under the Christmas tree, something that was bought at a high price (the blood of Jesus) in order to give you great joy. You miss out; but more importantly, the world misses out because the unique calling God created for you lies unopened, stagnant inside of you.
But when you open it and start living into it, amazing things start to happen. Work doesn’t feel like work. Being exhausted after serving has a whole new feel; now it feels like satisfaction, with a little side of sleepy! Confidence grows as you feel God working through you as you do that thing you love to do, that thing that makes you declare in your spirit, “I was MADE for this!”
I am a Purpose Coach, and I’ve even developed an online course designed to help people uncover their purpose and design a way to start actually doing it. You could say I’m a Purpose Junkie!
And I don’t care! I will never stop pushing people to not settle for a life that’s just okay, just getting by, doing the bare minimum, following the money instead of passion.
Has my life of purpose been easy? Absolutely not!
Have I been extremely frustrated at times? Absolutely yes!
But would I trade it for anything else? A very firm NO WAY!
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
God delights when we use our gifts. He prepared them in advance and gave them for us to enjoy and use for His glory. They aren’t supposed to lie dormant and unused inside of us. And because God is good and loving, when we do use them, we not only make an impact for the Kingdom, but we ourselves are filled with inexpressible joy!
Maybe today is the day for you to start letting go of your excuses. Maybe today is the day you choose to be brave and begin exploring some possibilities. Maybe today is the day you start unwrapping your precious, unique, God-given gift.
Find your joy, start living out your purpose today!
And if you truly don’t know what your purpose is, I would love to come alongside you on your journey and help you discover it so you can start living it out
You’ll be so glad you did!
Hugs and love,
Jill