Does My Life Have Purpose?
Do you feel you need a dynamic, visible role in the Church to be valued by God? Does working a secular job or staying home to raise children imply you have no purpose? Do you ever feel unworthy or fear you won’t hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”?
Is purpose only found in dynamic visible works?
God Has a Purpose for Your Life
Despite how things feel, let me assure you God has a purpose and a plan for your life; He is always closest during times of hiddenness and adversity.
Please don’t miss this point.
The Greek word Jesus used for “servant” is doulos or bondservant. The root of doulos means to bind, tie, fasten. A bondservant serves out of the overflow of love – love ties him to a person, a place, and fills his life with purpose. His master loves and trusts the bondservant. Love is the key ingredient to move into the intimate relationship as the bondservant of Jesus.
God wants sons, not slaves, so doulos is about a relationship, not about works.
If you are the child of God, to become His doulos is to be tied to Jesus. It isn’t about special things you do, it is about loving Him.
When Moses and David had nothing to offer except themselves, in loving God, they became tied in a sweet relationship to Him.
Moses Learned His Greatest Lessons in Solitude
God had a purpose and a plan for Moses. During the first 40 years of his life as an Egyptian, he received a well-rounded education, preparing him to lead Egypt. But Moses did nothing monumental. In fact, trying to advocate for the Israelites, he failed.
Fleeing into the desert, he spent another 40 years learning the ways of the desert, learning about sheep, and living an isolated life. Losing his purpose and place in society, Feeling like a failure, Moses also felt bypassed by God, thinking his sin closed the door to ever being entrusted with a worthy task.
In the desert, he took care of sheep. He had done nothing to be called worthy; he had no hope of ever hearing God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” In his deep loneliness, he turned to the Lord.
Here’s the crucial reality.
God designed a special place in the wilderness to train Moses to lead Israel out of captivity into freedom. But before He could use him, Moses needed to find inner healing and freedom from a victim mentality.
He didn’t comprehend his most important assignment was on the backside of a desert, where he faced his fears and spent time with the Great I Am. There in the secret place, he learned to love and trust God.
God wants sons, not slaves.
God Saw David Long Before He Was Anointed King
David was the 8th son of Jesse. When the family held a party, David was out with the sheep. No matter the weather, he had to watch over the sheep. When special events occurred, like meeting Samuel, no one even thought of David. He was just a lowly shepherd boy, of little significance.
But in his isolation from community, he turned his heart to the Lord, pouring out his pain and loneliness. While caring for the sheep, he sang to the Good Shepherd, who saw and heard him.
His family saw David’s place as being in the wilderness, not with people of worth. One day, his father sent him to the battlefield with food for his brothers, and he heard Goliath defy Israel. Eliab, his eldest brother, was angry when David asked, “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Eliab mocked, “Why did you come down here to the battlefield? You don’t belong here. Who did you leave your few sheep with, there in the wilderness? I know your arrogant and wicked heart; you only came to watch the battle.” (Paraphrase 1 Sam 17:28)
Do you see where I am going with this?
David trusted himself into the hands of the Living God he had grown to know in the wilderness. Despite his family’s rejection, God used David to kill Goliath.
Chosen by God to be king, instead of glory, what followed was suffering. More isolation and wrongful accusations, where he had to flee for his life. In his distress, he was cast totally on the Lord.
Feeling Invisible
So what’s my point?
Both Moses and David spent years in the wilderness, completing no wonderful tasks; they were virtually unseen. Moses was rejected by his people, who as far as they knew, didn’t even exist.
But God saw Moses. Despite his invisibility to Israel, the Great I AM chose to set His affection upon Moses. God called Moses his friend and spoke face to face with him! Wow!
David, like Moses, experienced loneliness and rejection. He, too, struggled with feelings of depression and hopelessness.
But God. In the loneliness of the wilderness, David was seen and loved by the Good Shepherd, who chose him and called him “a man after my own heart.”
The Great I AM chose to set His affection upon Moses, despite his invisibility to Israel.
Where Can You Find Purpose?
It is lonely on the backside of the desert, in the office, or working at home.
The problem is Satan lies to you, trying to cause you to miss God’s purpose for your life. The deceiver speaks in your voice, saying, “I have no value. I am a failure; God has passed me by.” But that is not true.
What is true?
The answer is Jesus. He is the Truth. He loves you and calls you to come, spend time with Him. By learning to love Him and dwell in His presence, you will find safety and purpose.
The good news is adversity strengthens and purifies as it provides you time to prioritize relational intimacy with the King of all kings.
Dear Heart,
Do you see how huge this is? You have great value, for you hold an important place in God’s heart.
Be like Moses and David when everything was going against them.
How to Find Your Purpose:
1. Develop relational intimacy with the Lord. He calls you and wants you to spend time in His presence.
2. Allow Jesus to heal your heart. If you allow Him – he will heal your broken heart. And then He will use you to pass on to others what He has taught you.
3. Become part of a community. Rather than isolate yourself, seek to be a friend to another person. Moses developed relationships with the Midianites. David developed relationships with Jonathan and later with those who came to him when he hid from Saul.
4. Do what makes your heart sing. God created you to love something unique to you – whether gardening, embroidering, painting, or walking in the woods. Find an expression of His life in you. In that place of joy, celebrate being His.
5. Take time to learn gratitude and to worship the Lord. Both gratitude and worship build connections and build a sense of purpose.
6. Never lose heart. In the secret place, God does His most important work.
Whatever you do – in public or in private – do all for the glory of God. Seek His face, and He will delight your heart with His presence.
“For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the LORD’s declaration — “plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
