A Life of Purpose and Destiny

There are things we all share, but there are things we are so uniquely created for. When that person finds their calling and purpose, it is a sight to behold. Their vision becomes reality, their dreams take shape, and their identity brings life to those around them.

If we are meant to be broken together, then it is each one’s purpose that we help one another. The ability to live a life that serves our fellow man, is a life lived in fulfillment and peace, and that they have come to a place that they were designed to be.

In the following overview, we’ll look at how to discover your calling and what is it to be a creative entrepreneur, a success in your profession or trade, and a life of giving with purpose.

I. Your Purpose

   1. The Four Wills of God

   2. The Four Questions that Reveal

   3. The Six Human Needs

II. Your Calling

   1. Ministry

   2. Entrepreneurship

   3. Profession and Trade

III. Giving

   1. To God

   2. To Yourself

   3. To Others

I. Your Purpose

To put in plainly, most people don’t know or realize their purpose. Actually, most do not know they are given gifts to carry out their purpose. To go deeper, most don’t realize that God has a will for their life.

In writing this, I gathered three important paradigms that reveal to us the beginning of discovery in your purpose. It not only has helped me, but countless others, and I fully believe after you digest the following information and revelations of truth, you’ll begin to envision your purpose leading to your calling.

It’s said that, “Every man dies, but not every man really lives.” The purpose of this site, and specifically this article, is to help you live – to help you live your fullest life.

To help you life your fullest life some things need to be in order. The following paradigms, if followed, will reshape your thinking and turn your attention to to the things that matter most in discovering your purpose.

Let’s dive in…

The Four Wills of God

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”Possibly one of the most asked questions among many people is simply, “What am I to do with my life?” To go further, if you’re one who is discovering God and walking with Him, you might say, “What is God’s will for my life?”

Although there are many things in writing this that could be presented first,  I believe through this concept below, you’ll have more clarity on His will, and also with yours specifically. Think of this as a fundamental and foundational platform that all other concepts and teachings can sit on top of. If you can understand and receive these, then I believe you’ll have the core character that can contain the capacity your destiny can hold, and also not be destroyed by without it.

Through his book, The Four Wills of God, Dr. Emerson Eggerich explains that by following the four universal wills of God, you can begin to open doors to walk in your purpose and the will God has for you.  Although many things can point to God’s will, Dr. Eggerich teaches that these four passages say it simply, “This is the will of God.”

In his podcast interview, The Four Wills of God: Discovering God’s Purpose for Your Life,  Dr. Eggerich explains:

“I have used this now for almost 40 years of my counseling, and pastoral help to people because this framework has not only helped other people, it’s been the framework that Sarah and I have sought to live. My wife, Sarah and I, been married 45 years. … that these four passages have really helped us.”

And he goes on to say:

“But what we are all hungry for is the unique will of God for our life. And I make this point: when we follow the universal will of God, it triggers our experience of the unique will of God.”

Let’s take a look at them and dive in.

1.Believe in The Son of God

“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:40 (NKJV)

2. Abstain From Sexual Immorality

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 (NKJV)

3. Give Thanks in Everything

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)

4. Submit in Doing What is Right

“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men”
1 Peter 3:13-15 (NKJV

Dr. Eggerich summed it up best in his same interview with Dr. Dobson by saying:

“And so, there is a price to pay, but I say to people, ‘The price is so little.’ If you follow these four, and you decide, on your watch, ‘This is how I’m going to live.’ I believe God will respond to you.”

I might add one other command or will of God that seems paramount to the heart of Jesus, and it’s with His command, to love one another.

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:10-1

Takeaway
These are timeless and absolute truths that have helped so many others, and it’s also been a guiding line for my journey to follow.  I know at times when I get off track, or veer to the right or left, I can come back to this compass and find the arrow that always points north. After understanding more of a Biblical approach, lets look at something a little more specific with four questions that only you can answer that may surprise you to reveal your own purpose.

The Four Questions that Reveal

Often, when envisioning great things for your life, it’s important to look at the spiritual aspect, but since we are comprised of three parts, our spirit, soul, and body, we can look into each area to reveal the truth in many areas of our life.

As we look in our own mind and physical senses regarding these four questions, we’ll see with amazement that our purpose can be found simply by the way we react.

Dr. Paul Crites, also known as “Dr. Purpose” explains in his book, Discovering the Power of Purpose, that there are four questions that reveal the onset and discovery of the purpose you are destined for.

1. What Do You Love?

What you love reveals a gift that’s inside you. Let’s say you love kids and just adore them, and every time you are around them you loose track of time. That’s an indicator of your gift and having anything to do with kids will keep you going when everyone else stops because you’ve tapped into your purpose. There are so many examples, but as you think through them let the first thing come to your mind as you ask yourself this question.

2. What Brings You to Tears?

Often, what we see that hurts us the most is also what reveals what we will heal the best. Take for instance human trafficking and the person that has felt the pain up close and personal and the organization they’ve started to help heal the hurts they’ve seen or even experienced. What brings tears to your eyes? What is the first thing that comes to mind

3. What Makes You Angry?

What you’re angry about reveals what you are called to correct. What is the injustice that drives you to act. It’s only those people that see things in this way who dare to confront. So ask yourself what stirs and bothers you with the injustice you are seeing? Is it abortion? Maybe it’s domestic abuse, or something you feel that no matter the cause you feel it should be corrected. These people won’t let anyone stop them and they will confront the issue until it’s stopped or on a journey to see it fixed.

4. What Annoys You?

Dr. Crites explains that essentially what annoys you reveals the kinds of people and problems that will be attracted to you.  For instance, if faulty or unpleasant looking apps annoy you, you might desire fixing them. Another example might be if you don’t like dirty or crooked teeth you might find yourself around those with bad teeth and helping those as a dentist or hygienist. Taking time to look at what annoys you goes far in explaining what problems you will look to solve

Takeaway
By taking time to answer each one independently, take notice of the first thought you have and don’t try to think too much into it. Write each question and begin expressing everything that is coming out. As you do you’ll discover more then you may have ever thought. You’re purpose leading to your fullest life awaits.

II. Your Calling

There are three main areas when it comes to the area you will find your the bulk of your purpose in. This article is to help identify that and explore what that looks like as you continue this journey of self discovery.

Whether it be ministry, entrepreneurship, a non profit, or business, or a profession or trade, understanding each and seeing a glimpse of what they entail, point to where you might be heading.

Like a ship at sea, and one without a destination, is lost at sea. I’m not a professional career counselor or an expert, but I believe the following information will help give you some guidance and help steer you toward your destined direction.

Ministry

Some people get the indication early, they’ve been called and there is no question about it. For others, it’s a question they must ask themselves time and time again. They question themselves if they have what it takes despite their very own nature and human flaws.

In Bob Carlisle’s song, We Fall Down, he says that, “Saints are just sinners who fall down and get back up.” What a beautiful thought and if you have a moment, take a listen…

It’s one thing to be mature spiritually, but often those that are so effective in ministry know what the very essence of a falling nature looks and feels like.

Take into consideration Peter. He’s been described as a little rough around the edges, and was so far outside the idea of following Jesus, that when he saw the miracle of fish caught in the boat before his eyes he said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” Luke 5:8 (NKJV)

Or how about Saul, who was known to persecute Christians. Through his transformation, God changed his named to Paul and went on to write a majority of the New Testament. Many times it’s our very calamity that our own ministry is born.

On the flip side, there is also a responsibility to vocational ministry.  In Tim Challies’s article, The 10 Questions Anyone Considering a Call to Ministry Must Answer, he outlines pointed questions that will cause you to consider whether you should consider it. In the context of loving the people of God, Tim says:

“The Lord in his restoration of the apostle Peter connected love for himself with loving the sheep. ‘Feed my lambs,’ he says to Peter. ‘Tend my sheep.’”

Todd Wagner, Senior Pastor of Watermark Community Church sits down with Rick Smith in a brief discussion if one should consider vocational ministry. His take was interesting and may open your eyes regardless of your background, but not void of your heart taking it all into consideration.

I personally can testify to what Pastor Smith is saying. Living out your life currently really can be a platform from who you are now. A lot of times we feel we have to wait to feel qualified, but often we are already in the motion of ministry.

Takeaway
If vocational ministry has been on your heart, take a look through these resources and continue seeking out those you look up to and pray about the direction for your life then take the only step you can take, the step called faith.

Entrepreneurship

I’ve heard it said there is no greater self discovery than one becoming an entrepreneur. It takes great faith to launch into the abyss, selflessness to serve others, and humility to embark on a path that risks failure.

We don’t carry the same regard for entrepreneurship as we do things like ministry, or a noble profession or trade, because of the “get rich quick” mentality that some who entertain entrepreneurship seeks. Although they try, it’s just a mere attempt to stroke the brush on the canvas of creating and serving others over a period of time.

Those who create a genuine solution through a product or service can sometimes get there, but few stay there. The ones that stay there have been through multiple iterations of themselves, like impurities in a dross of gold, they continue to refine until they can seemingly no longer offer anything more until they find a way. And, they somehow do it again.

The path to entrepreneurship takes a few key mindsets. They can be opposite of what you’ve heard of, but they do illuminate the mind to be like the great entrepreneurial minds that have gone before us.

Below we’ll look at ideas that come from a small percentage of people who have sustained entrepreneurship. Like a tour guide in the Amazon forest, some of these mindsets from the following “guides” will help bring you to where they are, but it will take an open mind and the courage to move through unfamiliar territory to arrive in this new place.