Purpose Starts with Identity
What am I doing?
Where am I going?
How do I get there?
Secular and Christian culture alike put a lot of emphasis on “finding our purpose”. In this statement alone it seems that purpose is something we find externally - a thing to look for outside of ourselves. Attempting to find purpose in things outside of ourselves actually usurps the order in which we are able to “find” our purpose. Rather than use the word find, I think it better suits the order to say “discover” or “uncover”. While purpose is eventually exercised through external interactions, it begins with an internal realization: Purpose is not task-driven but identity-driven.
When we know who we are we can engage purpose in the most abundant way. If we are still searching for purpose then it is likely that we are still unsure about our identity. Our purpose is navigated by the recognition, growth and fulfillment of our identity. We have been created as people of purpose. This has less to do with making sure we arrive at specific spaces, places and people and more to do with how we engage those spaces, places and people. That means that no matter where I go I am the same person, with the same innate character, perspective and passion. It is the core of my being that will determine where I go, what I do and what is the result.
Unfortunately, we often set people up for failure by putting purpose in the box of employment, achievement or a specific moment in life. Jesus is the example. He had purpose from birth that persisted regardless of age or stage in life, despite anonymity, which included, but was not limited to, his death and resurrection. How was Jesus able to do what he did and accomplish what he accomplished? He lived out purpose in His life from the understanding of who He was.
The purpose of a thing comes from the creator of that thing. If we want to know how we are purposed we go to our Creator and invest in the internal work of clearly understanding our unique identity. Jesus often reflected on his time communing with the Father before even arriving on earth and followed through on what He knew to be true about Himself. His conviction about His identity was confirmed in how many times we see Him engage statements with “I am” that were recorded as also spoken by God before Jesus came.
Purpose is inherent in its creation. It flows from the nature of a thing. Without knowing the nature of the thing, purpose gets lost. Commune with the Creator to return to who you are. Authentically knowing yourself will allow you to automatically uncover purpose.
Katie Rivera, Coach-Counselor
