Indicators of Purpose  

We cannot understand our God-given purpose through our intellect alone. Rather, it is revealed and confirmed to us by the Holy Spirit. (We will explore this theme further in day 3 of this devotional.) Nonetheless, God has designed each of us in a particular way that provides indicators of our purpose. These are like unique seals of the destiny that God designated for our life before the foundation of the world. The following are some of these indicators:

Holy Frustration

Those who feel a “holy frustration” in the face of the injustice, poverty, ignorance, immaturity, sickness, depression, mental illness, marital breakdown, and other issues and problems in the world cannot stay the same afterward. They feel they have to do something about these issues. Their frustration is an indication of their true purpose, which prompts them to bring positive change to individuals and society.

Holy Anger

What situation makes you angry enough to want to change it? Anger turns into holy indignation when we have the ability to focus our anointing, efforts, and faith on an issue, with the aim of producing transformation. When this happens, we are ready to move forward with our purpose. It is when we say, “Enough is enough!” and start working on making that change. 

The Ideas That Occupy Your Mind

What ideas occupy your mind? Do you find yourself thinking about matters relating to the family, ministry, business, justice, education, or medicine? You should start paying attention to your thought patterns, because they will help reveal your purpose. Thought produces action, and repeated or persistent action creates a habit. There are both good and bad habits, but all good habits are related to purpose.

A Desire to Pursue a Particular Endeavor

Similar to the previous point, whatever you continually seek out or diligently pursue is an indicator of your purpose. What have you been chasing all of your life? What would you still like to achieve? Is it a type of ministry? A business? A particular vocation? Consider what you reach toward most in both your thoughts and actions.

A Particular Compassion for Others

When Moses saw a fellow Hebrew being beaten by an Egyptian, he felt moved by the fate of his brother. This was because his life calling was to free his people from slavery and oppression. Jesus was moved to compassion by the state of people’s lives as He toured cities and villages and taught in synagogues. We can learn to discern God’s purpose for us by what moves us to compassion.

A Holy Passion

Whatever awakens a “holy passion” within you is another indicator of your purpose. It is a burning desire, an internal fire that never goes out. Such passion produces a strong motivation to be or do something in life. Moses’s passion was to be in the presence of God and speak with Him face-to-face. Joshua’s passion was to fight until God’s people had conquered the promised land. David’s passion was to worship the one true God with all his might. John the Baptist’s passion was to prepare the way for the Messiah. Paul’s passion was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. What is your passion?

A Sense of Accomplishment and Fulfillment

If you are motivated to do something in particular, and it gives you a feeling of accomplishment, this is a further indicator of your purpose. When your work or any other activity does not lead to a sense of fulfillment, then that is a sign you are not in your purpose. Start observing the activities in your life that cause you to feel fulfilled. What activity fills your heart with joy?

A Divine Burden

I define a “divine burden” as an obligation that leads us to perform an action. It is a situation that we cannot bear, and feel we must resolve. We take it on and do not stop until we have done something about it. For example, if you see people living on the street, without any food to eat, and you feel that you need to help remedy this situation, you have identified your purpose of helping the homeless. If you see people who don’t know God, and you feel you have do something to show them the way to the Father, you have identified your purpose of teaching or evangelizing. If you see the devastation that results from broken homes, and you feel you must bring hope in such situations, then you have identified your purpose of restoring families. What burdens you? If you identify your divine burden, you will identify your purpose.

Supernatural Grace to Accomplish Something

We need to diligently pursue our purpose, but we don’t have to strive to do it because we will receive God’s supernatural grace for it. If there is a task that is generally considered difficult, but you find easy to do, this means that you are working in the supernatural grace of God. I call this “the grace factor.” 

The grace factor is not the same as “situational grace,” which comes at a given time for a specific purpose. We should not base our life’s purpose on something that happened to us once, or even happens to us occasionally. When God’s anointing, grace, and power continually come upon you with regard to the same endeavor or activity, it is an indicator that you have identified your life’s purpose.

I encourage you to carefully consider all of the above indicators of purpose. Pray that you will be able to recognize the specific indicators of your unique calling and begin to walk toward the glorious destiny God has for you.