I was catching up with a dear friend of mine after church and she asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks.
I was explaining how this season of my life has allowed me to develop a deeper relationship with Christ. I’ve heard His voice more clearly and have a fresh perspective on this time of preparation. I even shared some of my recent challenges along with some of my successes.
That’s when she nodded and said, “ok, what is your purpose?”
She asked it so matter-of-factly that I felt like I had to answer in the same matter.
Just as I was about to struggle my way through what I thought my answer should be, someone walked up, politely interrupting our conversation. Soon after, someone else joined and our conversation was officially sidetracked.
As she introduced me, I smiled and said all the right things while my mind raced at warp speed. I started to ask myself even more questions. What exactly does she mean by purpose? Is there really one answer to that? Am I supposed to know this right now?
I wasn’t prepared for this. Why am I doing what I do? I’ve always turned to my career as a sense of purpose but that feels forced or stale. Plus, I work in retail marketing. I hope people buy clothes and put them on our credit cards. That can’t be my purpose.
I started to feel a bit panicked because I didn’t have a real answer. I knew what sounded good, but that wouldn’t be enough. She is not someone you just throw out any answer to. She can tell a smooth-talker from a mile away and will call you on your stuff. Plus, she wanted me to think. Better yet, she wanted me to know. But I wasn’t sure I did.
When the others departed, we agreed to move our conversation to the neighborhood Starbucks. As I walked to my car, I continued mulling over the question. What have I learned during this season of my life? What impact will I have on others? What will be my legacy? I wasn’t even sure I had an answer when we sat down with our drinks.
What is your purpose?
That’s when I started to think about how God was using this season and my experiences. He brought to my mind how there are young girls who may be finding it difficult to live counter-culturally in a sex-crazed society. Or, the young woman who feels like she doesn’t quite fit in at times, yet she realizes she can’t do what everyone else does because it’s not God’s plan for her life. The woman who doesn’t mind being alone also crossed my mind and how people make unnecessary assumptions about her because she enjoys her own company. I even thought about the ambitious leader who wants to make a change in their career but is not sure how to start that process.
That’s when I realized, this season is not strictly for my benefit. My purpose is to use my gifts to encourage others who may feel like they are the only ones. I am here to share stories and learned lessons, so others won’t have to make the same mistakes as those before them. My purpose is to recollect how God has proven to be my everything and how He can do the same for others. My experiences and revelations don’t stop with me. I can be the helping hand, listening ear or sounding board for whoever needs it.
I realize that I got hung up on what I think I should be doing to fulfill my purpose, forgetting about who the purpose is for. We go through trials and situations in life to help us grow, but there are also times when we go through seasons in order to help someone else who may eventually face similar trials.
I’m grateful for all those who came before me and shared their stories. I’m grateful for the moments of vulnerability where I learned that the woman who looks like she has it all together was actually a hot mess at times. I’m grateful for transparency from women who don’t allow the added weight from the opinions of others to weigh them down
My purpose is to encourage and build up others through using my God-given talents.
What’s yours?
