New Year: Living With PurposeSample

Finding a God-Given Purpose

It is important to approach life purposefully, but to really make life all that it can be, we need to not simply have a purpose, but have a God-given purpose. We may have some good ideas, but “God ideas” are always better than good ideas. The ideal way to live a purposeful life in 2021 is to have a vision to accomplish for the year, and that vision is best when it's given by God. A God-given vision will not only give you purpose, but will be something with eternal significance.  

Vision is a clear mental picture of something that God desires for your life. Vision clarifies purpose, helps establish priorities, motivates commitment, maximizes productivity, and fuels passion.  Vision is a specific desire that God has for our future. It gives us a direction to head in. Vision grows out of a need that we see around us, something so strong we just can’t get it out of our minds. It gets into our hearts and becomes a burden for us. As we are burdened for this need, we begin to let God use us in fulfilling the cause. As we move to action, we ask God for direction to see His vision of a better future realized for this particular need. As God responds, He provides our mission, our purpose, and our focus for the year.

So, what needs are breaking your heart? What do you see around you that God wants to change? Ask God to lift the greatest desire above the rest, and see what becomes a burden you carry. Then, ask God what your role will be to see that need met or changed. When you have your mission, you will have a purpose every day. Let 2021 be a year of eternal significance. Ask, and it will be given.