I’ve learned so much about “purpose” this year, especially for my purpose as a writer and as a Christian. One of the things I realized is that we often want to do things ourselves, without God and without others helping. However, we can’t do it ourselves. We need others in our lives.
“I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, 'Where's the self-help section?' She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.”
~George Carlin
The above quote is comical, but it’s a picture of many of us trying to seek our purpose. We start out wanting to find the “self-help section.” In other words, we want to find a purpose on our own. We sometimes get lost, and eventually discover we need to ask for help. Some of us struggle to ask for help. Some of us need to provide help to others when we aren’t asked.
If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. ~Isaiah 58:10 ESV
Lost. Imagine wandering through a gloomy forest without a flashlight, compass, or other supplies. Would you think, “I can do this on my own”? or “I wish someone would show up with a flashlight”? If you continued to wander, lost, you might get hungry and wish someone would bring food. If you stumbled and hurt yourself, you might wish someone would show up with a first-aid kit.
Poured Out. Something we can do is pour ourselves into a purpose that will help others. Feeding the hungry and helping the afflicted are physical examples of ways we can find purpose and help others. Sometimes being a good listener and sharing Jesus by our example are enough to make a difference. In these ways, we act as a light that directs them out of the gloom and the darkness.
My Purpose. God has shown me that I have a talent for writing, connecting with people, and connecting with people through writing. I want my life and my writing to be a light in the darkness, and something that satisfies. I didn’t always believe in myself, but this year the Lord has shown me the meaning of “purpose.”
Your Purpose. I believe that God will show you what “purpose” means for you as well.
How can you “feed and satisfy” with your talents?
How can you be a “light in the darkness”?
Think about what you do well, and how you can help others through that.
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