I know your works. Rev. 2:2. I know your affliction and your poverty. Verse 9. I know where you live. Verse 13. I know your works. Verse 19. I know your works. Rev. 3:1. I know your works. Verse 8. I know your works. Verse 15.
We saw yesterday how God had a unique intent for John's life and for each of the seven churches. The Lord clearly spelled out that design for them in everyday Greek. But most of us do not get that kind of direct word from Him. While some have a strong sense of "calling" in their lives, most do not. So how do the rest of us discover God's purpose for us? My wife, Pamella, offers the following practical suggestions.
1. Submit to God's purpose for your life. Why should He reveal His plans to you if you have no intention of following it? To paraphrase something Jesus said, "If you are willing to do His will, you will know" (John 7:17). Seek His purpose through prayer and study, and as it becomes clearer to you, put it immediately into practice. Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life blessed Pamella in this process.
2. Learn all you can about your childhood. Children are often more faithful to God's design than grown-ups are (Mark 10:14, 15). So talk to older relatives and friends about your interests and personality as a child. Read things your parents may have written down about your sayings and actions. One of my wife's sweetest memories as a child was making little dresses for her dolls, working late into the night, so happy and focused that she had lost all track of time.
3. Take advantage of tests and inventories. Today we have many resources that can help us better understand our temperament, spiritual gifts, brain tendencies, and personality. A brain tendency inventory recently revealed that my wife and I are almost identical in all areas of innate personality. It greatly surprised us, as we had always thought we were opposites. This has made her more open to teaching and writing as part of God's design for her.
4. Invite honest feedback about your life today. Others often see us more clearly than we do ourselves. Several women have recently told my wife that her life story had profoundly blessed them. She is now sharing it with a variety of audiences.
5. Experiment. Try out the ideas that emerge from the above processes. Ask yourself three questions as you experiment: [a] do I enjoy this (would God design you to do something you hate)? [b] am I good at it? and [c] do other people (particularly fellow Christians) think I'm good at it? If the answer to all three is a resounding yes, you have probably grasped another piece of God's purpose for your life.
Lord, I want my life to be centered on Your design and purpose for me. Teach me all I need to know as soon as I can handle it (John 16:12).
We saw yesterday how God had a unique intent for John's life and for each of the seven churches. The Lord clearly spelled out that design for them in everyday Greek. But most of us do not get that kind of direct word from Him. While some have a strong sense of "calling" in their lives, most do not. So how do the rest of us discover God's purpose for us? My wife, Pamella, offers the following practical suggestions.
1. Submit to God's purpose for your life. Why should He reveal His plans to you if you have no intention of following it? To paraphrase something Jesus said, "If you are willing to do His will, you will know" (John 7:17). Seek His purpose through prayer and study, and as it becomes clearer to you, put it immediately into practice. Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life blessed Pamella in this process.
2. Learn all you can about your childhood. Children are often more faithful to God's design than grown-ups are (Mark 10:14, 15). So talk to older relatives and friends about your interests and personality as a child. Read things your parents may have written down about your sayings and actions. One of my wife's sweetest memories as a child was making little dresses for her dolls, working late into the night, so happy and focused that she had lost all track of time.
3. Take advantage of tests and inventories. Today we have many resources that can help us better understand our temperament, spiritual gifts, brain tendencies, and personality. A brain tendency inventory recently revealed that my wife and I are almost identical in all areas of innate personality. It greatly surprised us, as we had always thought we were opposites. This has made her more open to teaching and writing as part of God's design for her.
4. Invite honest feedback about your life today. Others often see us more clearly than we do ourselves. Several women have recently told my wife that her life story had profoundly blessed them. She is now sharing it with a variety of audiences.
5. Experiment. Try out the ideas that emerge from the above processes. Ask yourself three questions as you experiment: [a] do I enjoy this (would God design you to do something you hate)? [b] am I good at it? and [c] do other people (particularly fellow Christians) think I'm good at it? If the answer to all three is a resounding yes, you have probably grasped another piece of God's purpose for your life.
Lord, I want my life to be centered on Your design and purpose for me. Teach me all I need to know as soon as I can handle it (John 16:12).
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