I cannot imagine anything more depressing than not having meaning and purpose in your own life. ~ Matthew Kelly, “The Rhythm of Life”
Life can be hard. Very hard. And it can be difficult in a multitude of ways.
But, honestly, I don’t think there is more agony than living without some kind of purpose.
Even physical disabilities and great losses can be overcome on the battlefield of our emotions if we find purpose in them—for our own lives and/or in the lives of others.
If we deny our calling, we will inevitably become frustrated, depressed, angry, confused, and we will fill up our days with meaningless activity and pursuits.
If we have neglected to develop and use the talents that God has given us, we feel incomplete, unfulfilled, unfinished, even depressed. ~ Janice Elsheimer, “The Creative Call”
When it comes to that calling and longing inside of you to create and give and follow your dreams…
… you can try to stuff it, run away from it, or kill it, but you won’t ever succeed in doing so.
The circumstances of life can try to get in the way and stomp the life out of the seed, but because it isn’t a natural seed—it can’t be snuffed out.
The seed of the purpose planted in you, along with your gifts and talents, are part of the very fabric of your being.
It is hardwired into you.
It’s in your DNA—physical and spiritual.
To try to separate yourself from it would destroy you.
They’re like Siamese twins—purpose and talents ALWAYS go together!
You cannot get away from it.
You can’t hide.
You can try to immerse yourself in different kind of work or ministry or hobbies.
You can try to drown out the calling and longing in negative ways such as with alcohol or drugs or overeating, or by becoming a workaholic or a fun-a-holic, or a sleep-a-holic.
But the seeds planted in you will continually try to grow and they want to be given birth to.
And, oh the pain of being pregnant with these burgeoning seeds!
As He formed us in the womb, God placed eternity in our heart and creative gifts within us so that we would be restless, uncomfortable, and unfulfilled until we had connected with our divinely ordained calling—until we had lit the creative spark within. ~ Thomas Kinkade, The Art of Creative Living
God is the Master Gardener. And the Holy Spirit is the midwife, so to speak, who will bring it to fruition if we cooperate.
{ Really, as I continue to drive home, all you have to do is hang on The Vine and all the supernatural nutrients of God/Jesus will flow naturally into your being. }
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4,5
Think about it.
That’s how it is with natural seeds. We give them the water and nutrients and they grow.
In regard to the supernatural seeds of purpose and talents within us, our part is to just hang on the vine of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Word of God—as stated in John 1:1-14.
So as we immerse ourselves in the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to wash over us…
The seed will grow.
And the blooms will come.
What will that look like in this world? In a person’s life?
The songwriter will craft a song.
The woodworker will make a beautiful chair.
The scientist will research and discover.
The designer will design.
The business person will run the company.
The nurse will comfort and care for.
The singer will sing.
The farmer will plant and harvest.
The homemaker will make a beautiful and comfortable nest for her family and look out for all their needs.
The chef will create a delicacy.
The dancer will dance.
The pastor will minister to his flock.
The evangelist will share the gospel. (Think Billy Graham).
The writer will write.
The salesman will talk…and bring needs and solutions together.
The builder will build.
The athlete will run.
You get the point.
We will do what we were created to do.
When inspiration comes, we will get fired up in the area in which we were designed to bloom.
Don’t you see?
He designed us that way.
When we put an apple seed in the ground and we water and fertilize it, it grows into an apple tree and apples are its fruit.
{ We can talk about the benefits of the pruning season in another blog entry. That’s kind of painful…but necessary. }
We really do make it harder than it has to be.
The supernatural manifests into the natural when we attach ourselves to The Vine.
And the natural becomes supernatural if the talent is developed within this supernatural context—the
blooms will have a supernatural anointing for a supernatural purpose.
So what do I suggest?
Hang on The Vine.
Hang out with the Master of the Vineyard.
Get to know yourself through His eyes.
In so doing we can naturally become what we are created to be and we will know the purposes of God.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by
changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and
pleasing and perfect. Romans 12: 1,2
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:
You’re Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be ~ Holley Gerth
Without Rival: Embrace Your Identity and Purpose in an Age of Confusion and Comparison ~ Lisa Bevere
Pathway to Purpose for Women ~ Katie Brazelton
Praying for Purpose for Women ~ Katie Brazelton
LINK: The Journey (of the little girl within, with dreams that are still there…)