We All Have a God Given Purpose

“To everything there is a season,

a time for every purpose under heaven:”

—Ecclesiastes 3:1

There are billions upon billions of people in the world. Untold angels assigned to us on Earth or working on assignment in Heaven. There are more animals than we could ever count… and stars beyond number or reach. On and on we could go, thinking of all the wonderful things God has made, has dominion over, and what each is made for. Yet, if we tried to list them all, we would never finish.

What God has created and is responsible for is immense. Yet, everything has a purpose. Nothing is by accident when God takes the wheel.

“What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”

—Ecclesiastes 3:9-11

Purpose:

What is purpose? The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes purpose as, “a. Something set up as an object or end to be attained: INTENTION; b. RESOLUTION, DETERMINATION.” It also describes it as something which is “intentional” or “by intent.”

Therefore, purpose is something that does not happen by accident… even when we on Earth intentionally do something or accomplish a work, how much more purposeful are those things done by God?

God created each of us, and He has assigned to each a purpose. Even the angels have assigned purposes. People have angels, cities have angels, countries have angels… and each one “looks” different. An angel whose purpose is to impart wisdom is not likely to appear the same as an angel who is meant to protect a nation—though both are critical to the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

The same is true for those of us on Earth. God has assigned and made each of us with a purpose. We are all made in His image as human beings… yet, we all “look” different, because our purposes are different.

What someone wears to work on the top floor of a skyscraper in New York City and what the baker wears in the storefront just down the street, are most likely vastly different. Yet, each has a purpose, and with that purpose, each has the capacity to be equally important in the Kingdom.

A soldier deployed on a rescue mission in the desert is not going to dress the same as the lifeguard at the local pool; yet, both can save lives—both can be equally important in the Kingdom simply by fulfilling their purpose.

And, just like clothing varies for different purposes, so does the way we each appear… Our gender, our country of origin, our interests, etc., differs from the other. Every person and angel alike have a unique identity—a unique purpose. And yet, because the ultimate purpose of all is to serve God and advance the Kingdom, we are all identical.

Assessing Purpose:

How can my purpose be as important as that of a “world-changing” preacher or someone who develops a medical breakthrough?

On the surface, a stay-at-home mom and a “world-changing” preacher can appear to have different levels of importance… but that is not a Kingdom view.

When we see things through God’s eyes, whether having a career as a mother or a calling as a preacher, each are ultimately of equal value… as long as both are fulfilling their GOD GIVEN purpose. 

If the purpose God gave the stay-at-home mom was actually to be a world changing preacher and she chooses not to obey God, then the weights can shift. Disobedience to the purpose God gave us makes what we do become less valuable than what it could have been if we had obeyed God. God always has balanced scales; Satan and sin never have balanced scales. So, if the “world-changing” preacher’s purpose was supposed to be that of a world famous chef, then he is not fulfilling his purpose to the fullest—the weights shift.

Now, this does not mean that the stay-at-home mom nor the “world-changing” preacher—when not purposed for those positions—are not going to still help the Kingdom or change lives. It simply means the level, or fullness of impact, will not be the same. There are many reasons for this, but first and foremost, it is because GOD KNOWS BEST.

God numbers the hairs on our head. Before we speak, He knows what we need. Time does not constrain Him. He is eternal, knowing all in all ways. HE KNOWS BEST. It is as simple as that. So, while there are certain skills God has given to each of us that cross-pollinates for the Kingdom, when we do not fulfill our purpose, the scope and QUALITY is not the same.

Take an artist from Chicago, for example, with fifty years of study and craftmanship in pottery. This artist has developed the skills, the tools, the eye, the steady hand, the creativity and the passion for the craft, yet one day decides to begin painting Monet-style landscapes.

Now, many artists do have a variety of skills in more than one medium. And, because of this, the potter who has a good artistic eye for 3-D, would also have a good eye for 2-D without too much difficulty. 

With a steady hand, the brush strokes will probably be decently smooth—if not skilled. With the passion to create, the inspiration and drive is at work in the artist’s favor. Yet, even with all the skills blending together, the pottery maker may never have picked up a brush… might not have the tools and training needed for painting, nor perhaps studied the way light bounces on water, or the shadow that brings depth to a 2-D tree. Without having studied Monet to know how to recreate the style… nor possibly having left the city to see the landscapes to paint, the art will not reach the same standard as was with the clay.

This fictional pottery maker turned Monet-style landscape painter might succeed in the new art form… might even come to enjoy it. However, the quality—even joy and satisfaction—are unlikely to reach the same heights. Chances are the artist will not have five more decades to become proficient, like with the pottery—and the same is true for us if we do not seek out God’s purpose for our lives. Without deliberately seeking God to find His purpose for us, we may come close to His calling, but…

Close is not close enough.

Fulfilling Purpose:

So, now that we know each of us has a purpose, and that the value of our God given purpose is the same as our neighbor’s—if we listen and hear what God tells us—how do we fulfill it?

Well, the first step would be to discover what our purpose is. There are many ways this can happen, but God is always at the heart of it. After all, it is He who gives everything its purpose. So, if we do not know what God’s purpose is for us, then we should ask Him.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

—Matthew 7:7

This is crucial… not because God will not reveal our purpose if we do not ask, but because there are so MANY ways our interests and passions can lead us. 

Take the artist example described above… If you have an interest and passion for art there are virtually a multitude of directions that could take you—from pottery, to sculpture, to interior design, oil painting, cartoonist spreads, etc.—and God is the only one who knows the details He has planned for your life. 

God orders our every step, so if we ask Him, He will reveal it to us.

Another thing we can do is go into the Courts of Heaven and request access to our books in Heaven. This, while similar to asking Him in prayer, in that He is at the heart of it, is a different, legal way to discover the details of our purpose.

Lastly, if we are still uncertain, we can ask God to direct our steps further. He may lead us to someone who will prophesy into our purpose. He may lead us to a class or program to learn about something related to our purpose. He may direct us to ask ourselves what our purpose is. He may give us dreams or visions. He may even put something repeatedly before our eyes.

There are many ways to discover our purpose, yet, God is at the heart of them all…

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”

—Psalm 37:23

Therefore, let us walk in the ways of the Lord. Let us seek Him first, and therefore, find our purpose in Him. Let us rejoice in Him and rest in the knowledge that He is directing our steps as we look to His face with a thankful heart. Let us know that His heart for all of us is to have His Kingdom purpose in us—to glorify Him and further His Kingdom. 

Let us pursue Him… Let us chase after God.