Each one of us has a unique gift that He gave us. Our gifts are not the same, and they are not packaged the same. Just like us, they are unique and made just to us.
The thing is, there are may times when we don’t realize that we either: 1) don’t know what our purpose is or 2) know what our purpose is, but forget.
In our world that is forever changing, it is important that we understand what our true purpose is in this life, and move towards that.
Listen to your heart.
Do you find that you are constantly dissatisfied? Always looking for a change but end up going back to the same thing? The thing is, sometimes, our purpose is right in front of our faces, but we’re just to blind to see them.
I say, listen to your heart. Listen to what moves you, what stirs you. Know that what you choose to spend your time on, you are making a difference.
[Tweet “Your role could be pushing from the back, instead of pulling from the front.”]
I’ve noticed that I’ve always been the “behind the scenes” sort of person, and up until a few years ago, it used to bother me so much.
I would constantly ask myself: why can’t I be leading from the front? But in my heart, I know what I want. I understand the dreams of others, and realize my role is not always in the front pulling, it’s in the back pushing.
For me, knowing my purpose didn’t happen until I learned acceptance. And believe me that was hard to do.
I’m a pusher, I push myself, and I push others forward around me. It was part of my nature to want the best for those around me, and I naturally did what I could to help them get in that direction.
I find joy in helping.
Discover your passions.
The most silliest things can become passion for others. Some may find passion in fitness, others in finance. It is the journey on knowing what moves you and your heart that you would have to find.
From reading to writing, to teaching and sharing, I find my passion in everything around me. Yes, I love writing, and I’m really loving photography, but I find that those are just some ways I share my bubbling passion with others. Those are my mediums.
Deep down, my passion is love that I have for my family and those around me.
The life that I am blessed to live-good days and bad.
Faith in knowing that all this is sacred.
So I find that no matter what I’m doing, I’m surrounded by my passion.
[Tweet “If you have passion, you are already motivated.”]
Understand how to use the gifts you were given.
Some people have a skill at taking the most complex ideas, and explaining it in a way that regular people can understand. A great example of this is Michio Kaku, a theoretical physicist. He has such an aurora around him that gravitates people to want to know more about physics and his theories.
Michio Kaku has a unique gift, and such vast knowledge, that he decided that it shouldn’t be shared with those with the most money, but instead he decided to teach for CCNY (City College of New York – part of NYC CUNY system).
Not only do we have to understand the gifts that were given, but these gifts were not made to just capitalize on, they were given to us freely to share with each other freely.
So not only do we have to work on what our gifts are, but we have to understand how to use them.
Know Who Our Gifts Glorify
Lastly, we should know who our gifts glorify. I’ve noticed that there is a trend to ignore who is really at the helm of our ship. We say that we did all the hard work ourselves, but we don’t [always] recognize that any success that we’ve had been because He wanted it so.
Yes, we can always “work” for it ourselves, but it never comes easy. It never feels right. It always feels like we’re pushing a boulder up a hill and yet not making any progress.
If we end up using our gifts for selfish gains, then the well will dry up. We dry up. We start to grow dissatisfied with what we’re doing, and question it–daily.
But I’ve found that if we just stop for a moment, and give thanks, and praise to Him who gave us our gifts and spelled out our purpose, we would never lose sight of what is important.
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For some, our purpose is not some grand adventure–out to change the world with one single bound. Sometimes our purpose doesn’t take us far from home to far off places. What ever your gifts are, and what ever your purpose is, use it wisely, and live it.
Are you still discovering what your purpose is? What is your calling?
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Kalley,
so much wisdom in your post…and I especially appreciate the focus on remembering God’s role…Thank you 🙂
P.S. I can get to your post via Twitter but I can’t if I visit your blog directly and click on the icon for this blog.
Thank you so much Dolly. I’ll be looking into the issue further, thank you for pointing it out to me.
Ahh this post is right on time. It took me a while to find my purpose but I finally have it. My purpose is to tell a story. I am a story teller rather it’s through photography, branding, logos, or Kokoa Magazine. I love to tell a story and draw people in. It’s my passion and my purpose in life. It took me a few years to figure this out but now that I have I am ready to go. Great post
you are following your path of purpose very well, kita!
I agree with Josie! You are doing a great job at knowing your purpose and following through with it! I love what you’re doing with your magazine and the direction you’re headed!
My purpose no doubt has everything to do with writing. I’ve been hearing it from people since I was a teenager, and the internal nudges have amplified very recently. As we are to use our gifts to glorify God, I’ve been struggling with the additional truth that on a personal level, God wants us to use our gifts so they can be a blessing to our own self as well. I struggle with that concept because I try to take “self” out of the equation, but I need to embrace it in this situation.
There is so much truth in what you say as well. It reminds me of great founders of companies such as: Welch’s, Colgate, Kraft and a few others that come to mind. When they first started some of them tithed from 15-90% of their wealth.
I sometimes think that any success we receive from our gifts is a test for us to acknowledge where the success comes from and if we can be entrusted with what that means.
My purpose….I’m still struggling to find it. But I know I have a passion for photography. I have a passion for writing..even though I don’t write like I want to , or at least I don’t share what I REALLY write. Somehow, I will put the two togther. I think I’ve found a way, and I’m working on that. We’ll see. Great post! Gives me something to think about.
You’re photography is so awesome, you are truly an inspiration!
I find that for me, photography and writing comes in hand in hand. With both, there is a story to tell. Some days its better with words, others–pictures.
LOVE this post! So on time. My purpose is to help…how? I’m not completely sure but just like you my passion is love and showing that somehow will be fulfillment enough. Photography is a growing passion but my perfectionism kills me lol working on it. You are so right, remembering WHO it will glorify keeps it all in perspective.
I feel you on the perfectionism, it’s hard to let go, but there are times when I found harmony out of chaos. That has helped me loosen the reigns on that for a bit. 🙂
Hi Kalley Great post. Finding your purpose is definitely a journey that we all go through or maybe still going through in our lives. I know personally I realized that the only way I would find my purpose was to have a relationship with the one who created me. God created me for a specific purpose. So it only makes sense that He would be the only one that could reveal to me what that purpose was.
Focusing on following Him and His plans for my life helped me to understand what was important in life. Once we focus on God and allowing Him to use us He will slowly reveal His plans and purposes for us.
I totally agree with what you say about remembering who our gifts glorify. Once God allows us to see our gifts and purpose we can’t take all the credit and forget that it was only through Him that we are where we are at. I always say, ” It’s all of Him, and none of me.” Remembering this keeps me humble & thankful.
Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend!
~Sherri
godlifehappywife.blogspot.com
Thank you so much Sherri for stopping by and sharing your words with us. It’s so true, only God can reveal to us his purpose, and it was through his grace that we have our purpose and gifts.
This is all very good advice! Thanks for the inspiration. I’m going to pass it along! I stopped by from SITS
Thank you Rachel! I hope you have a great weekend! 🙂
Coming to terms with what you were meant to do is life changing. I finally listened to my heart and followed my passion of becoming an Interior Decorator. Couldn’t be happier!
Stopping by from SITSsharefest.
That’s awesome Julie! Sometimes, it’s so hard to follow your true calling. The fear can literally stop you in your tracks, but once you made that first move, you wonder to yourself, “why didn’t I do this sooner!”
Ahmazing!
Yes, spelled that way as that is how wonderful and refreshing this post was.
I can remember the day I discovered my gifts (Wisdom, Discernment and Evangelism) and begin to operate in them. Can I tell you that the Evangelism gift scared me as I was like, OMG, I am going to have to preach and teach all the time. But, what God showed me is that I am an encourager with a zealous desire to share.
My favorite: “Not only do we have to understand the gifts that were given, but these gifts were not made to just capitalize on, they were given to us freely to share with each other freely.”
Thank you Sis for the inspiration! Keep Moving Forward in Victory!
Beautiful works Yulunda! getting to that point where we know what our gifts are and what we’re supposed to use it for is a scary thing indeed! We go through life wondering what is my purpose, and then when you find it, we’re like, “woah, where do I start?” I’m glad that you found your purpose and that it’s spreading the Good word of God. 🙂 Keep on doing what you’re doing!