Do you wake each morning with an exciting sense of purpose? I’m not talking about your tasks or to-do lists for the day. And I’m not talking about your job or responsibilities in particular roles you play. Yes… these are important, and you should feel purposeful in the midst of them. But they can often disguise themselves as your God-given purpose and derail you from your God-ordained destiny.
I’m talking about that unique, eternal reason for which you were created; that thing God designed and equipped you to impart into the world; that legacy you will imprint into the lives of others. Some people really struggle to define their purpose. Most people don’t give it a second thought. They jump out of bed and begin the patterns of another day without realizing their lives are becoming a numbing routine.
Consider this… unless you’ve been recently injured, you don’t think about lifting your leg and rolling over to get out of bed. You don’t consciously tell the muscles attached to your jaw to move up and down to chew, or your esophagus to open and swallow. Washing your face, brushing your teeth, rushing out the door, and sometimes even driving that familiar way to work or school, becomes a mindless blur of consciousness. On top of that, our 24/7 culture creates jam-packed calendars that have us too busy to think about the luxury of living with purpose on purpose.
The purpose of Becoming God’s Woman of Destiny is to help you develop, expand, and experience your God-ordained destiny in any area – every area – of life you choose to grow. If you’re happy where you are; if you’re using all your talents and living at the pinnacle of your God-given potential, then enjoy this column for the spiritual truths and psychological tools it offers. But if you possess a desire to change from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), then I’ll guide and mentor you step-by-step toward your own Spirit-led discovery and understanding so you can be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). As you apply the exercises to your own life and target areas for growth, you’ll gain insight, release, power, and motivation to do “all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
We begin with purpose because it’s the sturdiest, most solid foundation upon which to build your life. Purpose helps you filter your options and focus your goals. With so many opportunities and directions available to you at any given moment, purpose refines your choices and keeps the “good stuff” from getting in the way of the best stuff God intends for you.
Purpose is living with an absolute sense of mission in mind. It happens by conscious intent, not by fateful accident. So grab a notebook and make it your Destiny Journal. Let’s begin by discovering and defining your amazing and abundant purpose-filled future:
1. In our video learning lesson, I distinguished the roles you play in life from your purpose. Go back and view or review the lesson. Make a list of all your roles. How does your purpose stand above yet weave through the roles and responsibilities you have at any given point in life?
2. Jesus drew away daily to listen to the heart of his Father so he might do what he saw his Father do and say what he heard his Father say (John 5:19). Living the mission of your God-ordained destiny requires the same. The more you seek quiet intimacy with Jesus, the more vision, courage, and passion he will impress upon you to walk into your future. As you go through this process, prayerfully ask him to enlighten the eyes of your heart so you might know the hope to which he’s called you; the riches of his glorious inheritance he freely offers you; and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18).
3. One effective and popular exercise I often use when working with individuals or groups is to have them begin with the end in mind. Grab your journal or notebook and spend a few minutes writing your obituary. Now the intent is not to be morbid or melancholy, but to have you focus on the legacy by which you want to be remembered. Rather than emphasize your roles (i.e., “she was a loving mother and a good friend”), focus on the impact you’ll leave behind – what you want to do and the manner in which you’ll do it (i.e., “she eagerly devoted herself to helping every person know how loved they are by God”). It may feel strange at first, but your legacy paragraph should become the energizing and inspirational anchor that shapes your attitudes, relationships, and decisions in life.
4. Once you’ve created your legacy paragraph, pull exciting words or phrases to write a one-sentence Mission Statement of who you are and what you’re about. Feel free to tweak, clarify, or rewrite your Mission Statement as the picture becomes clearer in your mind. Here’s a Hint: Always write your Mission Statement in the present tense – “I am…” (rather than “I will…”).
5. Be sure to reread your Legacy Paragraph and Mission Statement regularly. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you deeper revelation into God’s purposes for you.
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Doreen Lecheler is a personal development and goal-achievement expert and “incurable” cancer conqueror. She is the best-selling author of THE MIND TO HEAL and THE SPIRIT TO HEAL. She is the founder of DESTINYMakers.org, an online membership community designed to help people live their potential from Heaven’s perspective. Follow Doreen on FACEBOOK | ©2014 DESTINYMakers | Follow Doreen on TWITTER |
In our next video learning lesson, I’ll begin to show you how to unleash more of the amazing potential God has placed within you, and how to be aware of the ways you hold yourself back.
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