Find Your Life’s Purpose
But now thus says Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: Don't be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine. — Isaiah 43:1
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. — 1 Peter 4:10
Author
Fanny Rodríguez
Summary: God created us and gave us life, but we turned away from Him to follow our own will. Although we may feel complete, apart from the Creator we do not know the purpose for which we were made. Jesus Christ paid a great price for us, making reconciliation with God and a truly new life possible. Each person has received a unique ability, a gift intended to fulfill a purpose greater than simply earning a salary. Whatever our work may be, we can use that gift to transform our surroundings, bring light into the darkness, communicate peace, and sow in others a love for the Word. We are valuable to God in every occupation.
A story that children love is “The Gingerbread Man.” There are different versions, and I recently heard the following one:
A girl was baking cookies, and she baked a gingerbread man. When she took him out of the oven, she let him cool, decorated him, and when she put on his second eye, the gingerbread man jumped onto the windowsill, then from the window into the street, and ran away. The girl went out into the street and ran to catch him, and she saw the gingerbread man enter a bakery. She followed him into the bakery and saw him sitting in a display case, so she said to the baker, “That gingerbread man is mine.” The baker replied, “That gingerbread man costs ten cents.” The girl left sadly, but she went home, sold all the dolls she loved so much, and came up with the ten cents. Then she returned to the bakery and told the shopkeeper, “Here are the ten cents for the gingerbread man.” The baker was surprised, but he gave her the gingerbread man. When they went out into the street, the girl took the gingerbread man by the neck and said to him, “Listen carefully: I made you, and now I have bought you, so you are completely mine.”
I find this story interesting because it reminds me of our Creator. He made us; the Word says that He formed us in our mother’s womb and gave us life, and yet we turned away and ran off, doing our own will and breaking His commandments, for which reason He deprived us of His glory.
I spent many years running and doing my own will, unaware that my Creator longed for my company, my praise, and my worship. I considered myself complete, but the truth was that not only did I have an emptiness within me, but I also lacked knowledge of the purpose for which I had been created. Most importantly, I did not know that He had bought me and paid a high price: the life of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He is the One who enables us to be reconciled with God once again and enjoy a truly new life.
Do you know that God created you with a unique ability? The Bible calls it a gift, and this gift from God is precisely for fulfilling the purpose He has for each one of us. You may be a homemaker, a factory worker, a doctor, a lawyer, a mechanic, a childcare provider, etc.… You are working for a weekly paycheck. But God has a greater purpose: that you use the gift He gave you to transform the environment in which you work. I am a teacher anointed to spread the kingdom of God and bless the children and families with whom I work. What is your mission?
Heavenly Father, I thank You because You gave meaning and direction to my life. I pray for each person who reads this message, that they may see the great purpose of their lives and use the gift You have placed within them to carry Your light into the midst of all the darkness surrounding us. Release within us the conviction that we are valuable to You, no matter what work we may be doing. Fill our lives with Your love and make us messengers of peace, sowing the love of Your Word in others. I ask this in the glorious name of Jesus.