by Mel McCredie
The older we get, the more we realise that life is full of questions and uncertainties, and that can actually leave us wondering about our true purpose. The Bible tells us we will face our share of trials. But I often find myself ill-equipped to deal with them when they come my way.
Embracing God’s purpose for my life means believing that I am fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. But to do that, I need to pursue a personal relationship with Him. The only way any of us can truly discern the gentle whisper of God is to align our hearts with Him.
I have learnt that as the seasons of my life have changed, so has my purpose. When I was younger, I was convinced that there was one grand purpose that would fulfill me in every way! But I quickly realised that was not the case.
Purpose for me has never come as a lightning bolt experience. It’s felt more like a gentle nudge from God throughout the different stages of my life. There was a period of time where I thought I had found my forever purpose in Motherhood. But then I found out that kids grow up!
God taught me that I had to remain receptive to His guidance. As I change and grow, so do His purposes for my life. While I will forever be a mother, my adult children do not need me the same way now as they did when they were little.
It’s hard sometimes to let go of the past and embrace something new. But redefining our purpose as the seasons change means using our unique gifts and talents to serve God wherever we find ourselves. It can be something as simple as being kind and compassionate to the people around us.
I tend to overthink my purpose. I have had to face many challenging moments, but that doesn’t mean I’m on the wrong path. God doesn’t have just one purpose for my life, and He was using those challenges to equip me with the strength and grace I needed to keep growing.
Who I am now is almost unrecognisable from who I was 10 years ago, or even 20 years ago! A lot has changed. To truly pursue my purpose in God, I have to trust Him. I can’t compare myself to others. Instead of measuring my journey against someone else’s, I need to learn to celebrate their successes as well as my own.
I like to think that the older I get, the better I understand God. But I’m not actually sure if that’s true! I have to keep reminding myself to embrace flexibility, because I don’t want to miss out on any unexpected opportunities He might put in front of me.
Each of us is a cherished child of God, uniquely positioned to fulfil a purpose that only we can achieve. To embrace that purpose, we need to constantly seek His will through prayer and step with confidence onto the path He has prepared for us.
It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. My prayer is that God would help us all become people who find the courage to keep moving forward. God, let our lives be a living testimony to others of the transformative power of Your love.
There is no greater purpose than that.
Melinda is a writer who shares her life experiences with God on her blog, www.thedevotedlife.com She also has a self-published book. Melinda attends Gateway Baptist Church with her husband Drewe and two daughters.