Bible Wisdom For Life's Common StrugglesSample

“Calling and Purpose”

The Almighty has a specific plan and purpose for everyone who has ever set foot on Planet Earth. The Bible says He knew what our purpose was before we took our first breath! How’s that for planning ahead? God’s purpose for you dovetails perfectly with His divine design, and that design becomes clear when you and I step out in faith to follow His lead.

I don’t know what your specific purpose is on this old dust ball. But I do know two things about you: Contrary to the notion that mankind is the chance byproduct of some amoeba, you were made in God’s image. There isn’t a plant, animal, or even an angel who can make that claim. And, because of that, God has a special purpose for your life. Look at what the apostle Paul says: “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

You might say, “Hold on, Phil. So far, God’s purpose for my life seems rather small.” So what? I’m here to tell you that no calling from God is insignificant or trivial—regardless of its size or scope. Sometimes it’s the small, hidden thing, like a rudder on a ship, that changes the course of history.

Think about this: I owe the entire Duck Commander empire to one tiny thing—a dimple. Back when we started out, I took a little tool to crimp the end of a Mylar reed in such a way that it left a dimple no larger than a pimple. That itty-bitty dimple is what made my reed system in our duck calls different from all the other duck calls on the market. Hey, I even got a patent for that dimpling process. Today, we can’t make our duck calls fast enough.

My point is this: The Almighty has a purpose for our lives, one which He planned well in advance of our arrival on the scene. Some of us are rudders and reed dimplers, while others end up with a more visible part to play, like on a TV show. None of that matters. Either way, we’re tools in God’s hands to accomplish His will on this earth. As the prophet Isaiah said, “O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand” (Isaiah 64:8). Paul added, “Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?” (Romans 9:21).

Like I said, I don’t know what His ultimate purpose is for your life. Whatever it is, you’d do well to get after it—unlike the “wicked and lazy servant” who buried the one talent he was given (Matthew 25:14–30). No matter how much glory our gifts attract, all of it belongs to God, and it can be used to spread His name to the farthest corners of the world.

By Phil Robertson