Is there a blueprint or formula we must follow that will guarantee that you discover your purpose?The answer is a big emphatic YES! So, what is the formula? Before I answer that question, let us look at the lives of 2 men who undoubtedly lived lives of purpose.
Tale of God’s Friend
God had a friend named Abraham. He loved Abraham so much that He created nations out of him. This man, Abraham, is regarded by many as a father. In fact, God named him Abraham, so that he could fulfill the purpose for which he was created. When people think of greatness and faith, many think of Abraham. Yet, the beginning and the end of his life seem radically different.
You see, Abraham (then Abram) seemed to have been living a normal life with his normal family. He had possessions and servants and seemed to have succumbed to the fact that he and his wife would remain childless. He seemed to have a good relationship with his father Terah, agreeing to move out of Ur with him. If anything, stands out about his life it is that it seems so vaguely familiar to many of us. A lot of us are living life like Abram, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Then at the age of 75, something happened! Abram became Abraham, and everything in his life changed. The scroll of his life was opened and its Author informed him about whom He had written him to be. Can you imagine the shock Abram must have experienced. Talk about timing! Well, considering he lived for another 100 years, God definitely knew the best time to spring on him his purpose!
Tale of the Man from Tarsus
Saul was his name. A son of Abraham, by virtue of being a Jew. Yet he was no ordinary Jew. In his own words, “I am a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee.”(Acts 23:6). As such, he knew the Scriptures and used this knowledge to persecute the Church (Philippians 3:6) . As far as Saul was concerned, he knew he was born to be a defender of the Law. He was right, except for the fact that he did not have an understanding of how he was going to do this.
We know him today as the great apostle, Paul. He has authored most of the books in the New Testament of the Bible. He spread the Gospel of Christ with the same zeal (if not more, courtesy of the Holy Spirit), that he had used to persecute the Church. But, he did not accomplish this until the Lord revealed it to him, as per Acts 9:15.
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
So…?
Do you see any similarities in these two men and how they discovered their purpose?
I encourage you to study their callings further in Genesis 12 and Acts 9,( and for good measure, you can even study their lives further.)
Next week, we shall see, how we too can adopt the blueprint they used and in so doing, discover and fulfill our purpose.