Naming Your Unique PurposeSample

I remember sitting in business meetings, as a young professional, where my colleagues were discussing a particular obstacle. I would notice that they would either discuss a problem for ages, neglecting to talk about a specific aspect of that problem. Or they would completely miss a more important problem altogether. I knew, for sure, that they had already noticed the gaps I saw, so I stayed quiet. By the time I got the nerve to speak about the gaps, sometimes weeks later, I learned that my colleagues hadn’t seen the angle of the problem the way I did. If only I spoke my angle sooner, we could have addressed it easier.

For many of us, we learn similar lessons as we build our professional experience and confidence. But have you ever thought about using this same concept when you notice problems in your church or community that no one seems to be addressing? It is easy to get frustrated when needs are continuing to be unmet. However, you might have been the one that God designed to see that problem and you might be the one with the skill set to address it.

Angle is everything. Yet, it is the least recognized or utilized aspect of sight, especially in our communities. When we can start to recognize the gift that is our unique sight, we are more open to seeing our purposeful roles. We can start to articulate the aspects that we notice are broken and what we can do to fix it. When we start to name our angle and take responsibility for it, the things we see start to have a lot more meaning.

To make it more specific, let’s think back to what we are most passionate about seeing restored in our world. When we first consider it, we may think that we are called to help the people on the frontline who are in need. Some people are called to help them. But others who hold this area of passion may wonder if they are mistaken about their passion because they can’t see that angle.

For example, you may be passionate about helping people recovering from addiction but feel a disconnect when trying to visualize their obstacles or imagining how to help them. However, if you look at your business and political strengths and interests, you realize your strengths in business can help charity leaders strengthen their operational procedures, or your political strengths can help you advocate for better programming or facilitate some transformational conversations.

Spend some time thinking about the angle at which you most commonly view problems and the aspects of problems you are most likely to see. If it helps to start by considering what you notice at work, start there. Make notes of the different types of problems and gaps you see. Then apply that same way of thinking to your area of passion. Imagine new ways you could help restore what has been broken. And yes, helping improve operational procedures does help restore life to those who have suffered from addiction because you’ve just increased efficiency allowing the staff more time and brain capacity to do what they do best.

What are some angles that I feel drawn to?