Not everyone is able to know what their God-given purpose in life is from a young age. Sometimes in life, we stumble into jobs, especially when we were younger. However, as we grow older, we start to ask the question, Lord what is my God-given purpose? What job would you have me do? Or what gift have you put inside of me Lord? Or we simply start getting restless in our spirit with life and wonder if there’s a purpose of God for one’s life waiting to be activated. Jeremiah 29: ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. When we know our purpose, we have peace, joy and feel fulfilled.

You might have a job that you love and yet, that might not be God’s purpose for you. Matthew, a disciple of Jesus was initially a tax collector. Matt 9:⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew was doing a job, that made him wealthy but Jesus wanted him to become a fisher of men and become a disciple of His.

1 – Read your Bible: One way of finding out what your God-given purpose is, is to spend time in the Word of God. The only way that any relationship grows is when we spend time getting to know one another and spending time together and that is exactly the same with God. If you want to develop a relationship where He reveals Himself to you or talks to you, spend time getting to know Him through His Word.

An example from the Bible is the story of Gideon in the Bible was someone living his life and did not know that there was a call of God upon his life. We are told that he was threshing wheat in the winepress, until an angel of God appeared to him. After, the Lord told him to go to battle and Gideon who did not see himself as a fighter asked God, why he wanted him to go, when there were other who were bigger and mightier than him. Later God told him to tear down the altar of Baal, in their midst and build an altar of God instead. The men of the city where upset when they saw their altar destroyed and found out it was Gideon who did it. The battle line was drawn and Gideon kept asking God for signs because he was scared. At a point God told him to reduce the people with him and it was reduced from twenty-two thousand to ten thousand. Lastly God reduced it to three hundred men and they won. (You can read the story from Judges chapters 6-7).

2 – Another way is through prayer: Ask the Lord to direct your path. In Palm 37: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. During prayer, you can ask God anything that troubles you. As you read your Bible, pray to God to lead you on to your God-given purpose. Ask God during your time of prayer to give you insight. Use the above verse to pray. Psalm 54: 2 Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. 1st Thessalonians  5:17 pray without ceasing,

3 – Draw on your gifts: Whatever that gift is, if you pay close attention to what you do, aside from work, you will gravitate towards it. It could be wanting to buy and sell things, it could be wanting to connect people together, it could be supporting people, it could be writing or baking etc. Take time out to look inwardly and at what that God-given purpose is for you. What special gifts do you possess? Are you good at decorating? Or is it teaching? Or counselling or is your gift mediating? Or do you see yourself as a pastor? Whatever it is, be confident enough to move forward with it, as you put God first. Romans 12: ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

4 – Draw close to God: On a personal note, it took me a while to find out what my God-given purpose was. And yet, it was part of me and something that I enjoyed doing from a long time. But as I grew closer to God, I saw my priorities joining up with God wants for me. I became my persona counsellor and asked myself, ‘Tola what do people say that you are good at?’

Read the story of David and how he came into alignment with God’s purpose for him when he finally became king. Psalm 119: 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Sometimes though, it might mean you having to surrender all to Jesus, in order to walk in your God-given destiny. This is quite difficult because the process of surrendering is not an easy one and it can be frightening too. Yes of course, God is in control but you could start to doubt yourself and wonder if it is God or it is you. It is at this point where you see yourself eventually being led by the Holy Spirit. The more you learn to recognise His voice, you will also learn to trust Him and as you do that He starts perfecting all that concerns you.

In conclusion, the thing is working your purpose, fulfilling your destiny or studying in your God-given course, will make you the best that you can be. It will not be a struggle and neither will you feel that it is a chore or burden. The reason for the success is because you are walking through your God-given purpose and so it will ultimately bring glory to God Himself. Romans 8: ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Prayer Points:

Father Lord, reveal your purpose for my life in the name of Jesus.

Father Lord, I need your wisdom and insight into what you have called me to do in the name of Jesus.

Lord, lead me to where I will make good success in the name of Jesus.

My books:

Prayer Personified; Godly Declarations and How to Deal with unforgiveness the Godly way are available for purchase on: www.amazon.com