There are no billboards or
flashing neon lights that direct the way toward finding our calling
or purpose. In fact, very few people instinctively know what they want to do
with their life. "What's my purpose in life?" is probably
the most important and empowering question that a teenager will ever ask in
this lifetime. The answer will help them uncover their talents, their
strengths, their values, and their passion. It will also help them experience
new things and develop a plan - any plan, even if it is just a first step. They
will find ways to live life with intent. This New Year is a great time to begin
a quest for purpose!
Teens
ask, "Why am I here?" or "What's my purpose on this
Earth?" Without a purpose, life becomes motion without meaning;
trivial, petty, pointless, and founded upon whatever the culture offers up as
the latest "must have" material thing or "must do"
activity. Thomas Carlyle said, "The
man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder—a waif, a nothing, a no
man."
Pastor
Rick Warren calls this pursuit for meaning, ‘the drive for purpose’. In his
blockbuster book "The Purpose-Driven Life", Warren offers the answer;
"You were made for a mission. You
aren't here just to wander around lost. And you aren't here simply to live for
yourself."
Imagine
if more teens knew their purpose today – they would have fewer struggles and
feel a sense of meaning. They would know where they are headed and concentrate
on getting there.
How
to Find Your Life Purpose
1. Pay
attention to your talents and experiences
"Between this day and the next you will give
your life to something. The decision on what that will be will shape your
destiny." -Rick Warren
A
good place to begin the search for purpose is to understand that purpose is
woven into every strand of the fabric of our lives. It has to do with our God-given
talents, the experiences in our life, and those things which give a person
"goose bumps" or brings tears to their eye when they think about
them. Moreover, purpose has to do with using those talents to serve God and
others, not one's self.
So,
have you ever taken stock of your talents and gifts? Are you a great talker, or
a great listener? Are you skilled at building things, or good with people? Is your
talent more cerebral or more physical? Make a list of the things and activities
that interest you and those in which you excel. There are a number of places on
the Web that you can take online Spiritual Gifts Tests. You can also ask yourself,
"What's the one thing that I do better than others?" This can guide
you to your God-given purpose.
The
gifts from God need to be tested on fertile soil, so it is important for you,
as a teenager, to get a wide variety of experiences. As you do so,
certain talents will sprout and blossom, others will wilt and die. Through
these new experiences, God will reveal more about who you are and how God has
called you to serve Him and others. One experience can literally change your
life.
So
parents, schools, books, the church and the community can help to provide
plenty of "field experiences" for teenagers.
2. Take
a Life Purpose Test
Tests,
for teenagers, would seem like some sort of academic exercise but this isn’t
one of those. It is really simple. Take out a blank sheet of paper and write at
the top, "What is My Life Purpose?" Then, write any answer that pops
into your head. It could be a word or two, or a sentence. Write the answer that
makes you cry - obviously not a sad cry, but a joyful one. If it brings tears from
your eyes, then it's a sure bet that this is your purpose, or at least
associated with your purpose. Please do this exercise in private and without
any accompanying music or other distractions. It may take 100-200 lines of
potential "purposes" to hit the one that hits the ‘bull’s eye’, but just
keep at it until you get there.
Helen
Keller said it best, "Many people
have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained
through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."
When
God begins to reveal your purpose, it may not be reached tomorrow, next month
or even in logical steps. Instead, you may need to take some initial steps to
get there and there may be detours along the way. But knowing the destination
will help you build strength and courage to get there - often much more than you
might expect you'll have.
3. It's
a Lifelong Journey
Finding
your purpose is a lifelong journey. God doesn't give all the details at once,
nor does He promise it will be a smooth ride. Instead, He often provides just
enough information to help us move another mile down the road. It helps us to
trust Him as our Navigator. As you progress along the road of your life's
purpose, pay attention to the road signs He provides along the way and listen
to Him speak to you. Robert Byrne puts it this way, "The purpose of life is a life of purpose."
Knowing
your purpose gives meaning to your life and each step along the way. It
motivates you to prepare for your purpose, to save yourself for that purpose,
and to avoid anything that might get in the way. Knowing your purpose
simplifies your life and removes confusion.
On
the other hand, without a clear purpose, you have no foundation on which to
base decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources. Without a clear
purpose, you'll keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, or
other externals—hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the
emptiness in your heart.
4. The
Comfort of Knowing God's Purpose
Isn't
it comforting to know that God has a bigger purpose for each of us? If you
believe it, then step in front of a mirror and look for areas in your own life
that need to grow. Perhaps you're not following your own heart in finding God's
purpose in your life. Aim this year to make some changes - with God's
help.
"A life devoted to things is a dead life, a
stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree." -Proverbs
11:28 (The
Message)
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