Discipleship is a really fancy word for helping people on their journey following Jesus at it’s core. Many of us think discipleship is teaching people religion or teaching them about your church but in reality the end goal for discipleship is people knowing how to represent God in their everyday lives and that representing the love of God to the world is our purpose for life. When we understand that representing God to the world is our purpose everything else will fall into place.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:33-34 ESV)
Sadly many seasoned Christian’s are still searching for their purpose in life. 75% of Christian’s die wondering why they were ever created. When we do not know our purpose in life it is like we are living in a dark desert and we will never get out unless we know what to strive towards. If you ever are stuck in the desert without a point of reference to walk towards no matter how straight you believe you’re walking you will spend your time walking in circles. Due to one leg being longer than the other or without realizing it favoring leaning towards one side ever so slightly. When we set representing Jesus as our point of reference for life we will escape the dark endless desert of “why am I here?”. Then we will enter a city full of excitement, vibrance, and purpose.
However, most of the time many of us are not really thinking of the overarching purpose of life when we are asking the question of why am I here but rather we are asking, “what am I going to do while I’m here?” Rather than the why, we normally are worried about the what. What we are going to do with our life? Therefore, the answer that I gave above is very unsatisfying. But I have good news what is discussed above is the way you can begin going in the right direction towards your what. When you know your why in life, which is representing God to the world, then you will discover your what.
Now to get to the question that probably drove you to click on this post, how do you find what you are going to do in life? First, it starts with going to God. We must spend time in God’s presence through prayer, meditation, which is being silent, giving room for God to speak to you, and reading His word. To be able to hear God’s voice we must begin to know God in intimate relationship. We (me included) often times are trying to find God’s will for our lives without going to God. We must remind ourselves that God knows best and we do not. Our lives are not about us but about Him. When I find myself trying to discern God’s will for myself it is because I am thinking only of my self.
Abraham and Sarah have had enough. At the time of this story in Genesis 16 their names are still Abram and Sarai but for clarity sake we will call them Abraham and Sarah. Abraham and Sarah have waited and waited on God to fulfill His promise of a child who from this child will be birthed a nation. But they were old now way past child bearing years. Both were in their mid to late eighties therefore, Abraham and Sarah choose to have Abraham sexually abuse Hagar their Egyptian slave in order for them to have a child who will be the one who fulfills God’s promise. Rather than waiting on God to fulfill His promise Abraham and Sarah decide to execute God’s plan for them on their own terms. This causes Sarah to be jealous and Sarah abuses her slave to the point where Hagar flees.
The story of Abraham and Sarah gives us a glimpse into what happens in our lives when we try to execute live on our own terms even if we feel like it is a good direction or even in God’s direction. To moment we begin to live life without God it will cause division in-between us and others and then even division within ourselves. Not only did Sarah and Hagar have beef but Sarah was angry with Abraham her own husband all because Sarah and Abraham tried to live life on their own terms and not God’s. When we do life alone it robs all peace in our lives and causes more confusion in our lives not less.
The second thing that can help us identify what we are going to do with our lives is identify the gifts that God has put inside of you. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Do not just focus on the things that are easy for you but really what do you dream about? What if you had no fear would you do? Identifying your calling is not easy, you are going to have to confront your fears and face your inner demons to live the life that you have always dreamed of and the life God has called you to live.
1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10 NASB)
Many people are keeping in hiding their gifts using them only for their own self benefit when God has called us to use these gifts to serve others. The grace of God does not only benefit our inner reality but every aspect of our lives and that included what we do with our gifts because they were given to us from God.
The third thing to help us identify our calling is what are the needs that you see? The needs that you are going to feel like are the most important will be different from others most of the time and then others they will be the same. For example, all of us should care that all people are treated equally, we should all care about helping the poor and those who are on the fringes of society, all of us should care about peace among the nations, all of us should care about taking care of the each each of us have gifts that will be more helpful for one of these than the other.
“However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith; if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
(Romans 12:6-8 NASB2020)
All Christian’s are supposed to prophecy, all followers of Jesus should do acts of service, all Christians should teach others about the gospel, all Christian’s should… well I think you get it. But, Paul is telling us that every person will be stronger in one of these than others and that is our gift. The second point takes about this as well. What do the people around you need in your life? How could you give to them what they need in Jesus name?
The final thing is that a calling is not to serve ourselves and make us famous or rich but they are to serve those around us. When our lives are focused on representing Jesus to the world what we are going to do in our lives is not about us but rather it is focused on helping those around us and making the world a better place.
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