What is my purpose?

I have been pushing in to our Creator recently and he gave me a wonderful revelation!

Our purpose.  The plan and purpose for our lives.

All too often I've come back to the question, "What is my purpose?"

I know it's written in Jeremiah 29:11 that the Lord has a plan for my life.  A plan to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future.

This is a beautiful piece of scripture that I've clung to so hard when I've been in the pit, wallowing in my self-pity.  What am I doing here?  What is the point?  People don't like me.  I'm a fraud.  What exactly is my life-plan, my life-goal?  What should that goal be, what should it look like?  Am I doing the right thing to follow the plan that I have no clue as to what it is?

My clinging to that verse for my hope is a mis-use of that piece scripture, as I was reading it out of context. I was still left wondering what the plans were.

Things I know: I know my God is an awesome God.  I know he has plans for me.  He has good plans for me.  I also know that it's likely a very good thing if I don't know what the plans are, or I might try to run away and end up swallowed by a whale.

On Sunday morning, he spoke to my heart and revealed to me his good, good plan for me and for you.  For you.  For us.  For the Church.  The body of Christ.  He revealed to my heart the reason I'm here in this town, in this country, in this place right where my feet are. And not just that there's a 'reason', but that he MEANT for me to be here.

First I'll start with this word from Paul.  Ephesians 4:16 NLT He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

As a Christian, I am a part of the whole body and each part does it's own special work.

The plan for my life is to BE where my feet are.  I believe that nothing happens accidentally.  Everything has a purpose when things happen - and that includes where my feet are.  I am here.  That happened, and so my purpose is to BE where my feet are.  Let me elaborate...

My face needs to be seen by that person (who I might not have noticed that they notice if I'm there or not), my smile needs to be seen by that other person (who is yearning to find a happy face). Yet, another person needed to hear my words (who hasn't grown bold yet to speak courage over others) and still, there's another who needed my presence (who is looking for a familiar face - or yet, looking for a new face to befriend).  Another who needed the hug I gave them (who is realizing they are worthy of hugs).

The prompt of the Holy Spirit to say something nice about that person's hair, or the smile someone has, or the offer to pray with someone - might just be the thing that makes their day, lifts them up and points them back to Jesus.

Encourage.

If I'm not at church, small group or any other event, catching up with people, then they might not miss me.  But if I am there, someone might be encouraged.  I don't know what deeper plans might be within those moments and I don't need to know.  God makes it all work out the perfect way.  As long as we can seek His face in all we do, daily, hourly, moment by moment, earnestly seek Him, He will stay true to His word.  He is a good God.

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.  Psalm 55:22 NIV.

Oh, but you don't think you're righteous?  Let go of that lie.  Even though you have Jesus as your Lord, you're somehow still not good enough?  Rubbish.  The one (in Christ) who does what is right is righteous (see 1 John chapter 3).

So, be where your feet are.  Look for opportunities to encourage one another.  Someone needs to hear your voice, see your face and feel your hug!

When we can truly believe that our purpose is to BE where we are, and that we ARE where we are supposed to be (because nothing happens by accident), then we leave no room for doubt to occupy our precious mind-space.  You can get on with encouraging others when there isn't a weight on your shoulder telling you that you're not really supposed to be where the Good Lord has put you.

You have a purpose and it's to be where your feet are.

Holly
xx

If you have been encouraged by this, please let me know in the comments below.