How Has God Prepared You for Your Purpose?

 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. — 1 Corinthians 12:4–6 CEV

Your purpose is an integral part of you. It was planted in your heart when you were created, and God has equipped you with everything you need to fulfill it. You may not feel like you have everything you need, but it’s all there.

God has blessed each of us with gifts and strengths, things that we do well naturally, like running or organizing or bookkeeping. But our strengths also include innate social skills, like the ability to calm a crowd, or the talent to get someone to open up and talk to us. They also include those indefinable qualities that can’t be taught, such as the ability to invent new ways to do things, or to come up with the perfect business strategy.

Even more than that, God gives each of us the life experiences we need to grow those skills and mold our perspectives. Sure, you may share a lot of skills or strengths with others you know, but certainly not all of them. And no one else has ever lived the life you have. All of these things combined make you the person for the job, which is the purpose God has selected just for you.

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Unique

We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels — everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. — Colossians 1:16 MSG

God didn’t make you you by accident. He didn’t just throw in a few personality traits at random and call you good. No, God created you with care specifically for your unique purpose. He selected each of your talents, strengths, weaknesses, skills, passions, interests, and idiosyncrasies with care and intention. He carefully chose your family, neighbors, teachers, mentors, bosses, and coworkers to make sure you had the opportunities to learn the lessons you needed to grow. He watched and guided you as you moved through life — falling in love, getting your heart broken, making and losing friendships, learning about the world, and discovering more about yourself. And He was there with arms wide open when you dedicated your life to Him.

None of that happened by accident, chance, or coincidence.

• You and your unique purpose are a carefully orchestrated part of God’s plans.

When have you ever felt unqualified or unprepared for what God has called you to do?

Where do you feel you need to grow to continue to pursue your purpose? What plan can you make for that?

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It Is Good

Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from Him. — James 1:17 ERV

If God gave you a gift, it is a good thing. Depending on the culture and family you grew up in, though, you might not have always believed that. Different families and cultures value different talents and skills and look down on others. But God doesn’t have the same prejudices. Your family might have looked down on a naturally commanding nature and called you bossy, but God gave you leadership skills for a reason. Your community might have preferred inside-the-box thinking, which always made you feel like an outcast, but God needs your creativity to make you a resourceful problem solver.

God’s ways are not the world’s ways. They are far, far better. We, as people, are flawed, and our prejudices and biases are flawed too.

Don’t miss out on your purpose because you let the world’s ways trump God’s ways.

Are there any talents, skills, or gifts that you haven’t been using because others told you that you shouldn’t?

Have you ever assumed any of your strengths were actually weaknesses? Which ones?

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Don’t Hide Your Talents

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. — Matthew 5:16 NKJV

If you gave a dear friend something she desperately needed to do her job and she refused to use it, would you be frustrated? God has given you everything you need to pursue your purpose. Are you using it all?

Are there things you’re great at, but you feel like they don’t matter? Skills you assume aren’t special enough? Experiences that you always downplay? Maybe you were teased for your gifts in the past or made to feel like your skills were less than, so you just stopped using them. Or maybe others around you had the same skills, so you always let them step forward instead.

You’ve dulled your light. But God has more in mind for you.

• You were made to shine brightly, to lead others to God like a beacon in the darkness. You need to use your gifts — all of them — if you hope to achieve your purpose.

Do you feel like you shine? Or have you been hiding your light? Why?

Which gifts has God given you that you haven’t been using?

How could you put those underutilized gifts to good use?

Excerpted with permission from The Weekly Purpose Project, copyright Zondervan.

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Your Turn

You were created for a purpose! God, the One who made you specifically you, gave you unique gifts and talents, perspectives and a voice to be a shining light in this world. We need you to be you for the purposes of the Kingdom of God for His glory! ~ Devotionals Daily