What is My Purpose?

‘Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12

 Ok, so I am a Star Trek fan. The opening credits of every Star Trek episode begin with the voice of the captain stating the crew’s mission: “…to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before!” The crew may not have known where they were going, but they knew what they were seeking to do and why. What an exciting mission!

A mission statement and core values are among the first things anyone launching a business is instructed to develop. Those elements give the business owners focus and help the team to know what they want to accomplish and who they want to reach. A mission statement and core values bring clarity and articulate purpose for the business.

What about you? Have you ever considered crafting a personal mission statement? What are your core values? How might a mission statement give you focus and clarity? How might your life improve if you knew what your values are and lived according to those values? By this time next year, how might your life be different?

Years ago, a pastor challenged our congregation to craft a personal purpose statement, the equivalent of a mission statement. I took him seriously! Using the resources and prompts he offered I prayerfully began the process of developing a personal purpose statement. A purpose statement has less to do with actual tasks and specific goals and more to do with understanding how you are made and what you were created for. Because of that, the statement I developed more than 30 years ago still rings true.

My statement has morphed only slightly in all that time. Here it is: To nurture, equip, influence, and inspire others to fulfill their divine potential for God’s glory. That’s it. How that purpose has been worked out in my life has altered over the years, but the purpose remains the same.

What’s your purpose? What might it do for you to craft your own personal purpose statement? How might it help you to focus your life and do the things that most fulfill you?

Want some tips for developing your own purpose statement?

Consider your personality. Are you outgoing or introverted? Do you function best in a crowd or one-on-one? What energizes you? What drains you? It’s easy to find online tools to help you process your personality. An online tool like the DISC personality profile or Myers-Briggs or Enneagram will help you begin to think through the aspects of your personality that point to the purpose God designed you for. There are free options available. Go for it!

I love assessments. It’s part of the way I am made. I have found every assessment to be helpful. I always learn something new or come away with a better sense of focus. You may not love assessments like I do, but they will still help you reflect. Give one a try!

Acknowledge your gifts and talents. What are you good at? What do other people compliment you on? Where is your favorite place to serve?

You might try a spiritual gifts assessment. Don’t think too hard about your answers. That’s the way to get the most accurate results. Nothing will be perfect, but you may be surprised. Understanding the gifts and talents that God has equipped you with will help you in crafting your personal purpose statement.

My spiritual gifts assessment highlighted my gifts toward pastoring and teaching. Those were hard areas for me to own. It seemed somewhat arrogant to me to acknowledge that God had called me to pastor, teach and lead others. The results helped me to acknowledge that God put that in me and wants to use it for His glory. What might your results highlight and help you own?

Explore your passions.  What really gets you excited? What makes you mad and motivates you toward action? Whatever pushes your buttons, the positive as well as the negative, are indicators of your passions. Who do you most want to help? How do you want to help them?

Here’s the most important tip: You aren’t going to articulate the answers to these questions unless you are intentional. It won’t happen unless you plan for it to happen.

So, how will you articulate your answers? What about journaling? I discovered journaling as part of a high school creative writing class, and it has given me an outlet for processing some of my difficult-to-acknowledge feelings, fears, and desires.

Perhaps pen and paper are not your best place of expression. Maybe you are an external processor. What if you asked a trusted friend to help you talk through some of these questions so that you could process them out loud? If you function best with someone else, that might be a good option for you. You might ask yourself the questions and record your answers on your phone.

Perhaps you are a visual artist. What if you used your favorite creative outlet to help you process the answers to your questions?

The point in all of this is that you must set aside time to work through your answers and assessments. You must be intentional. It won’t just happen! When might be a good time for you to begin? Who might be a good person to help you process this? What might be your best way to process?

Dear Friend, you have an exciting mission. Do you know what it is? God made you on purpose for a purpose. Have you taken time to articulate what that purpose is? If you make the time, you will find yourself more focused and fulfilled as you make your daily decisions. You will be well on the way to the fulfilling and satisfying life you want. Isn’t that worth your effort? Why not get started right now? It’s time for you to boldly go where you have never gone before!

 Key Question: What is my purpose?

A Scripture to Consider: 'Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12

A YES Challenge: Set aside time to consider your personality, acknowledge your gifts and talents and explore your passions. When will you do it? Make a calendar appointment with yourself and get started!

Prayer: Father, You created me on purpose for a purpose. I want to discover that purpose so that I can fulfill the destiny You have in mind for me. I want to fulfill the exciting mission you have for me.  Guide me as I set aside time to reflect. Speak through the means I use to process my questions. Help me to hear You and see You. Amen.