Your Purpose Precedes You

It came as I was reading The Journey of Desire; the realization that purpose was a lot more than I’d thought. I've always believed God has a purpose for each of us; a plan to give us a future and a hope, you know. But subconsciously, I'd come to imagine the scenario as more like God distributing random assorted purposes and callings as we made our entrance into the world. That we came into existence and then God gave us a purpose. I still thought it was God given, but He designed it after my faults and inadequacies and experiences became evident - almost like my purpose was based on my worthiness. If I messed up too much, my purpose might have to be modified.

But it's all so untrue. As this book pointed out, in a paragraph I can't find, the purpose precedes us. Our purpose wasn't designed for us; we were designed for it. God had this purpose, this calling, this need to be fulfilled, and He specifically hand designed us as the perfect fit for it. Every experience and struggle we've had, God turns into a part of fulfilling our purpose. The sins we struggle with help us encourage others struggling in those areas, the losses we've faced help us grieve with others, and the joys we have help us rejoice with others. Not one part of our calling is accidental, and not one part of our experience is wasted.

I was reading Psalm 139 this morning - it's a beautiful psalm. Verses 14 to 18 say:
'I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.'

Another Bible version translates verse 16 as:
'Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.' Our lives had a purpose before we existed.

Friends, you have been hand designed - the very workmanship of God - for a purpose only you can fulfil. You are not a mistake, and the things you have been through are not a mistake. Pursue the burden on your heart, the experience which makes you come alive, the calling you feel you have!

I was deeply encouraged to realize this more, but also convicted. I've put off following my purpose for many reasons, but often because I couldn't see how it was going to come together. I’d figured out what, and I knew why, but how was beyond my vision. Then I read Priceless again, and a fragment of one conversation stood out to me. It's when Dale is having an unofficial mentoring session with James, if you know the story:

‘Dale picked up a chipped-off fragment of the rock they were sitting on and sent it skittering down the hill. “You know what to do. You’re just struggling with the how.”

‘James stared at the stars, half-expecting the wind to blow them around the way it – the way everything – was whipping him around.

‘“You know the direction to walk in,” Dale said. “So you point your feet and start walking. The stuff in your path?” James felt him shrug. “That’s not up to you.”’ Priceless, page 228

So, I'm learning. I'm learning that walking in our purpose is a lot about faith and trust. It’s about taking the next right step, even when we don’t see the big picture, because God knows. It's already there in His plan, and He will direct us. It’s what we were created for.

I also want to encourage anyone who doesn't know what their specific purpose or calling is yet. I've been there, and it's confusing and isolating. But please know that God has a special plan for you even if you can’t see it yet. He's shaping you for your purpose. And if you aren't sure which direction to go for the next step to following your calling, press closer to God. Ultimately, our purposes are all found in Him. xx