Four Directions that Point to Your Purpose
When the Lord called me, I knew it was a calling because He called me to something very specific. I had a blog at that time that I felt called to pick back up after two years, and one day as I was sitting on the couch I remember Him saying "Google the word 'life coach'." Now, at the time I didn't know what a life coach was. All I knew was that Iyanla from Iyanla Fix My Life on the Oprah Network was one, but I didn't know what a life coach was or what they did. So, skeptically I googled the word and once I read the description, it was as if I had an out-of-body experience.
As I read it, I realized that a life coach was already who I was. The description talked about how coaches help people evolve into the best version of themselves by using techniques such as time management, goal setting, and other personal development and psychological techniques. And in that moment, it was almost as if God showed me a movie reel that highlighted different moments of my life where I was operating in purpose.
For some time I felt like my psychology degree was in vain because I was pursuing my masters in something totally different. But at that moment, God affirmed to me that He uses everything for His purpose. He told me that my gifts, talents, personality, passions, hobbies, education, and even upbringing all fit together for His purpose for me. And as I sat on that couch, He told me that my purpose was to inspire and motivate women to pursue purpose-driven lives and that life coaching would be my assignment. This is how He wanted me to carry my purpose out.
Since I've had that revelation, the Lord has taught me so much about purpose. So many of us are trying to figure out what our purpose is when our purpose has been inside of us all along -- it's just been waiting to be uncovered. That is why it's so important that we understand the directions (or what I like to call the blues clues) that point toward our purpose.
As I’ve coached women one-on-one and worked through my own purpose and personal development journey as well, I have discovered that there are four directions that typically point to your purpose.
Design
The first direction is your design. Your design consists of your gifts, talents, personality, and the unique idiosyncrasies that make you, you. When I was growing up I always thought that I was different from those around me. It turns out that I was right. I test on the Myers-Briggs 51% INFJ and 49% ENFJ (I always knew that I was an ambivert), and it turns out that INFJs make up less than 1% of the population and typically tend to be coaches, counselors, and ministry leaders. Who knew?! No wonder I always felt like an outcast. It was God’s intentional part of my design. If you want to know your purpose, you have to understand your God-given identity. Knowing who you are and Whose you are helps you understand why you’re here and what you’re called to do.
Preparation
Preparation is another major component of your God-given purpose. In essence, it is the sum of the experiences you’ve had that has prepared you for your purpose and calling. Because we know that God has started and is finishing a good work in us, we know that He’s constantly working in us. Therefore, there are specific moments and significant experiences that shed light on what our God-given purpose may be.
For example, maybe you went through certain trials and struggles that have prepared you for the weight of your purpose. Or maybe you’ve experienced indignancies or first-hand suffering that makes you want to fight for change. Well, now that suffering provides a common ground or a platform to reach those you are being called to. Or maybe you’ve always experienced people coming to you to help them solve a certain type of problem. Those collective experiences have equipped you for your purpose and will lead you into what you’re called to do.
Passion
Your passions are the things that light you up and set your soul on fire. They are the things you have an intense desire for, and the why behind them point to your purpose. Passions communicate what matters to you most. Without passion, you won’t have the motivation or enthusiasm that is needed to carry out your purpose and calling. A few great ways to determine your passions is to look at what gives you energy, aligns with your values, depicts your dreams, unearths your desires, and identifies who you are called to serve. The theme or why behind these passions direct you to your purpose.
Calling
Your calling is where you are being led to or where God is sending to you. It’s your assignment, your mission, the doing part of your purpose. Many people confuse their purpose with their calling. Your calling is simply a vehicle for your purpose. At any point in time, your calling may change but your purpose will not. That is why it’s so important that you understand the difference between calling and purpose. Your purpose is the primary reason for your existence and your calling is how you carry that purpose out. As a Christian woman, your calling is given by God to serve His people. According to Tony Stoltzfus, here is how calling is usually broken down:
A message you embody
To a specific audience
For an ultimate impact
Through a unique task
These four facets come together to make up your calling. A great way to determine yours is by creating a mission statement. If you had to sum up your mission in life, what would it be? Your calling will point you to your purpose.
This is why I always say that you don’t have to go find your purpose, it’s already inside of you. Nine times out of ten, you’ve been operating in it without awareness. The key to uncovering your purpose is to peel back the layers of your design, preparation, passion, and calling. Where these four areas converge is your God-given purpose.
Want to learn more about how you can live a life that’s in alignment with God’s purpose and plan? Download the free Live On Purpose Lifestyle Guide.
