Your Purpose is an Answer
Author and teacher Lisa Bevere travels the world and ministers this key truth (among others) to women: you are an answer, not a problem! She makes this point in her book Fight Like a Girl, as well as in her audio teachings. She makes a case for minimizing the competition and overall angst that can develop among women when we each set out to do what God created us to do.
I want to extend this principle just a bit and say that you and your purpose are an answer, not a problem. When we perceive problems with our purpose–the acceptance of it by us and/or others, the “success” of it, or getting it moving at all (the how, who, etc.)–we can sometimes get a bit disheartened about seeing purpose manifest. There are many factors to consider, but there is a guarantee.
God gave us the ministry and the message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). He made us His ambassadors (v. 20).
The context of chapter 5 and previous chapters is Paul’s discourse about the New Covenant–its greater glory and the hope and liberty in it (ch. 3). Because of God’s great mercy, Paul did not lose hope and the Gospel reached many (ch. 4). He then describes our eternal dwelling place, and makes a great point: because we know how to fear the Lord we persuade men (5:11). Godly purpose has a benefit for others; it will reach others and reveal a part of Christ’s nature.
For God to give a ministry it means that there is a need for a service to reconcile men to God. And, for God to put in us a message to reconcile means that there is a need for our voice. Others need to see what He’s done and hear what He’s doing…through you and your purpose.
I hope this month’s entries have helped us better shape our “Gifted” focus. There is a question that we were created to answer. How we answer that question is godly purpose. We can do many things, and for some of us the time is over for placing the focus on what we do well. It may be time to live the “stretching” some of us say we feel, and embrace the discomfort of Godly purpose that is learning to do something we do not do well…and then really trust Him.
Your Godly purpose–the business, the beauty, the baking, the writing, the serving, etc.–is an answer.
God bless you, Kingdom Queens, as you keep going, BEING the DO of God’s purpose. Let there continue to be light, and wisdom and understanding.
Blogs I Follow
The Bereans' Commentary with Shaunta D. Scroggins, Ed.D. 