What Is My Purpose?

"Purpose is the great divider that separates those who are simply living from those who are truly alive."-unknown

" What is my life's purpose? "

Chances are you have asked yourself that question or one that is similar to it. If so, you are not alone. The purpose question is one that people have wrestled with for many years. Essentially you are asking,  "what is the meaning of my life?"

Purpose at its core is the reason why something or someone exists. It is found in every aspect of life. There is purpose in relationships, career, art, nature, and business. Purpose is in love, loss, grief, pain, and joy. It is present even in the things we don't understand. Also, it can be discovered in something you may find useless, but to someone else it is priceless. 

Can you think of one area in life where purpose does not exist?

Two Ways To Discover Purpose

We all were born with a purpose already placed within us. Every day we wake up we have the opportunity to be aligned with it and to live it. Often times many of us think we have to "find" our purpose. This phrase implies that it is somehow lost, but really it's not. Instead, we are to discover what is already within us waiting to be uncovered.

Starting to discover your purpose can be done in two ways: looking to God and paying attention to your life.

God. Who we are and what we do is directly aligned with God and who He is in our lives. Living on purpose honors Him for He created us and gave us all the things that make us special and unique. When looking to discover our purpose, starting with Him is first. Often times the place we look is outside of ourselves. We look to others whether it be on television, in books and magazines or on the web for the answers that we already have. Looking to Him means reading scripture, praying and being open to what he wants to do in our lives.

Pay attention. Our purpose is in us and in the life we are living. To pay attention means to stay connected to the things that are in the deepest parts of our souls. Because your purpose is within, it will require you to slow down and listen to what your life is telling you.

Some areas of your life to take a closer look at:

• the things you do 
• the places you go
• relationships 
• passions, talents, gifts, and experiences
• life experiences (the good and the bad)
• issues that you care about
• hobbies/interests
• forgotten dreams
• childhood dreams
•  memories

Wherever you are in your life right now, it is exactly where you are supposed to be. In Ecclesiastes 3 it is written that everything happens for a reason, at the exact time it is supposed to occur. Nothing is by accident in God's eyes. By paying attention more fully to your life, you will see that there is a reason for everything that has happened. It is here you will discover your purpose. The way you express your purpose is ultimately about serving God and others. Purpose is never just about you, but about God and the people who are waiting to be blessed by the thing you were created to do.

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