by Barbara Latta
Do you ever get
confused about your purpose in life?
How can you
know your calling?
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| Are you confused about your purpose in life? |
Do you question
whether you are pursuing God’s will or not?
We can learn a
lot from Nehemiah about fulfilling the dream God has called us to achieve.
For example, I
feel called to write. I didn’t pursue this plan in my younger years, but I
never had a settled feeling until I started to seek this goal. Each of us has
reason to be here. Until we discover that objective we will not be fulfilled,
and we are missing the ability to bless others.
These 9 tips can
guide you to follow your destiny:
- Examine your desires. Nehemiah was sad until he started his quest. His beloved Jerusalem was in ruins and it broke his heart so much it was evident in his countenance. (Nehemiah 2:1-5). We can find our direction by examining what breaks our heart. What causes you to want to fix a problem?
- Silence distracting voices. The enemy tried to distract Nehemiah with lies, but Nehemiah didn’t believe them because he knew the voice of God (Nehemiah 6). My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:27).
- Avoid excuses. Nehemiah served where he was (2:1). He was captive in a foreign land, yet he still served with excellence, (as did Daniel and his friends). He didn’t make excuses about his limitations. No mission is insignificant. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king. He could have looked at that as an unimportant task, but that job put him in the position to have the king’s audience and receive the assistance to achieve his goal.
- Ignore comparison. Looking at others success or position will take our eyes off what we need to be doing. Nehemiah didn’t use his servitude to wish he was in a different position. When Peter questioned Jesus about John’s destiny, Jesus told Peter, “What is that to you, you follow Me (John 21:22). My calling doesn’t belong to someone else and theirs doesn’t belong to me. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul talks about the body having many parts. Each part has a reason to be there and without each one fulfilling their purpose, the whole body will suffer.
- Remain faithful to the end. Because Nehemiah was faithful to finish
the task God called him to do, Nehemiah had favor with a pagan king (2:7-9). Being confident
of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). Let your light
so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in
heaven (Matthew 5:16)
9 tips to define your purpose in life - Create a plan. Nehemiah did an inspection of the Jerusalem wall and then created a plan. We need to accomplish our dream in an orderly way. Some things take time to grow. Count the cost to make sure you are willing to support your goal with the time, financial investments, travel, and other requirement involved. We can ask ourselves, “Am I going to stay faithful to the task and be willing to sacrifice to get the job done?” Which of you intending to build a tower does not set down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish it (Luke 14:28).
- Pursue despite opinions of others. What you are called to do may not set well with other people. There may be persecution of some kind. Mockery didn’t sway Nehemiah from his purpose (Nehemiah 2:19-20). In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33)
- Eliminate confusion and distraction. The enemy used confusion to try to distract Nehemiah (4:8). Other people can also be used by our enemy, Satan, to distract us from staying focused on what God has put on our hearts. When confusion sets in, instead of quitting, spend quiet time with God and get your mind back on track. Realize this is a ploy to get you out of the race. Therefore, submit to God; Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
- Celebrate victories and thank God for what was accomplished through His power. Nehemiah celebrated when the wall was rebuilt and thanked God (8:12).
While our assignment
doesn’t end until we meet God face to face, we can praise Him for each
milestone we reach and glorify His name while reaching the next one. When we
celebrate the victories, our faith will grow.
Join the conversation
and share your thoughts about your life’s mission.
Very insightful, Barb. At a recent leadership meeting in our church, our pastor asked if anyone had no idea what his or her purpose was. Surprised, several hands went up. Clearly, more teaching and understanding are needed. Great job! I will keep this post as reference.
ReplyDeleteI struggled with this for years, Patricia, until the light finally went on. I remember your study of Nehemiah on your blog and you had some insightful words to share, also. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete