Since the latter part of last year I have been teaching at my church relationship, purpose, vision, and identity. Operating in these 4 principals will help propel you to where God would have you to be and allow you to operate successfully there in. My focus today is on purpose. I heard it preached by Steve Harvey (yes comedian Steve Harvey) that the 2 greatest days of your existence are the day you are born and the day you find out why. WOW, that was super deep to me because it is exactly what God was already showing me (I just love when God confirms His word, it helps me know I’m not crazy). Here’s the thing; and you’ll probably see me reference the message Steve preached (yes preached) a fair amount during this entry, the problem with the body of believers is figuring out the why part. I believe the reason we have a hard time figuring out the why is because we get confused concerning what our purpose is versus what our passion is.
I like lists (as noted by a previous blog post) so I used to teach it this way: If you write down 10 things you are truly good at I guarantee your purpose is in there (if nothing else the foundation for your purpose is in their). Steve Harvey put it in what I would say is a much easier and more concise way. He said, “Purpose (your gift) is the thing you do the best with the least amount of effort.” He gave an excellent scenario worth noting here. Steve talked about how as a celebrity he always has some waitress or something coming to him while he’s eating and asks him to look at their headshot because they are an actor and actress. He says when it happens he always asks the question, “what are you in?” He says he always gets the same answer, “I’m not in anything right now I’m trying to get in something.” He then informs them that’s because they are not an actor/actress they are a waiter. Actors have acting gigs. The principal of what he is doing is that if you want to figure out what your purpose is first look at what you are doing. Actors act, singers sing, athletes compete, lawyers practice law, etc., etc., etc. If the definition of purpose is what you do well with the least amount of effort then the definition of passion would be (in context to what we are talking about) what you want to do and/or can do well but it takes great effort to accomplish. If God’s ppl could just get passionate about their purpose as opposed to pursuing passion we’d be much further along.
One of the main reasons we pursue passion as opposed to purpose is because we don’t see the glamour all the time or the purpose in our purpose all the time but we do see the glamour and what we perceive to be the purpose in a passion. Passion generally comes from watching someone else and wanting what they have (I believe the bible also calls that envy). The danger in watching someone else and what they have and the so-called glamour of their purpose is you don’t know what they went through to get where they are at and trust me no matter what it is you are equipped to go through it. If you were God would have allowed you to go through and you’d be in that position too. It doesn’t matter whether you want to be a pro baller or a lawyer or the pastor of a church, if it’s not for you and isn’t your purpose don’t pursue it. Pursing passion can bring about struggle and hardships. If you reach what you are passionate about it can bring about attacks you aren’t equipped to handle. Pursuing passion can cost you time that you can’t redeem. Pursuing passion may cause you to sacrifice things that you are meant to keep. Pursuing a passion will cause you to step out of the will of God. But if you pursue purpose, the bible teaches us in Proverbs 18:16 that your gift (purpose) will make room for you and bring you before great men. Understand that your purpose is a gift from God a gift is also known as a blessing and the bible tells us in Proverbs 10:22 that the blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow. See when you pursue purpose rather than you working it, it will work for you. It may not be easy but it’s not a struggle either. And when you can become passionate about your purpose, there’s nothing within your purpose that you can’t do and accomplish.
I challenge everyone to find out what their purpose is and go after it with an unmatched vigor. Seek God for a vision for your purpose (see earlier post concerning vision vs. idea) that you know what to do and where to go within your purpose. I challenge you to look at your life and if you aren’t where you think you ought to be in God look at what you are pursuing. If you haven’t worked your purpose that’s why. People don’t want to face real talk and be told that their lack is truly their fault, my lack is my fault. When you don’t do what God has created you to do you are going to lack. We as humans are the most disobedient of all God’s creation. He doesn’t have an issue getting the sun to rise and set on time, nor the birds to chirp, dogs to bark and comfort, cats to meow and sooth, trees to give shade and bear fruit, the earth to give sustenance and those are inadament objects. Why are we so stubborn and wanting to do everything but what we are created to do. Again I challenge you to find your purpose, pray about your purpose, walk in your purpose and see if your life isn’t more fulfilled and see if you don’t get the blessing of obedience out lined in Deuteronomy 28:1-14. See if the blessing of the Lord doesn’t come upon you and over take you because you walked in true obedience. I challenge you stop pursuing passion because it’s glamorous and start pursing purpose passionately because it is what you were created to do, it’s why you are here.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me at jesse.jones@highpraiseministries.com. As always remember to Grow in God’s Grace and Abide in His Love!
