God's Resurrection PowerSample

Divine Direction and Purpose

Humans have looked for life’s purpose and direction since the beginning. We have an innate desire to matter, to be worthy, and to be needed.

Some of us find our purpose and direction with ease. We’re talented or skilled in a certain area, and it comes naturally to excel. Meanwhile, many of us struggle to find what we will do with our lives.

In early adulthood, we may be expected to attend a college or university or take on a family trade or business. Perhaps some of us want to stay home and raise our families, but our situation requires us to work outside of the home. When we find ourselves in these positions, it’s in opposition to the desires of our hearts, and perhaps isn’t what God has planned for us.

Consider the life of Joseph. He was a favored child of Isaac and expected to have a great future. Through the trials and twists and turns of his life—nearly killed by his brothers, sold as a slave, propositioned by his boss’s wife, and falsely imprisoned—Scripture never indicates he ever lost sight of his identity as a child of God. He accepted what life gave him and found his strength by trusting and obeying God. In his later years, he became second-in-command in Egypt and ultimately saved his family from famine. Likely, this isn’t the life he had envisioned for himself, yet God had a great purpose and plans for Joseph, just like He has for each of us.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” -Genesis 50:20

It’s a hard position to be in when we find ourselves unsure of our future, our plans, or even the steps we need to take to get there. We lose sight of Whom we belong to and question our identity and self-worth when we put our focus on having certainty or security in our earthly positions.

Our identity is encompassed by what God says about us. We were knit together in our mother’s womb by the great Creator (Psalm 139:13-16). He knows every hair on our heads (Matthew 10:30). He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on our behalf (John 3:16). We are valued in the eyes of the Lord. We are loved by Him so intimately, and He desires our obedience and love. Our identity is in Him.

In Jesus, we are fully accepted, loved, forgiven, secure in our salvation, and being made holy (sanctified). God has a great call on our lives according to His plans and purpose; all we need to do is ask Him, then trust and obey!

We can confidently accept what He has for us. He surely will surprise us when we take our next steps in complete faith. Through the Holy Spirit’s encouragement and guidance, we can release the control that we never had in the first place—moving past our own personal expectations and dreams and leaning fully into God’s marvelous plan for our lives!

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. -Romans 12:2

Father, in theory, we know that our identity is in You, but for so long, we’ve put our worth and value in what success looks like to the world over what You’ve called us to be. Today, we want to give this over to You fully and completely. Help us let go of our plans and surrender completely to the plans You have. Holy Spirit, give us encouragement and guidance to spur us on as we take steps of obedience and faith. Let us find our worth and value in truth: our identity is in Jesus Christ. It’s in His precious and holy name that we pray. Amen.

Declare this truth over yourself as you pray and meditate on God’s Word: There is abundant life in Jesus Christ (John 10:10), and my identity is completely in Him! I am walking away from the lie that my worth and direction are found in things of this world, and walking into the freedom and truth that my identity is in Christ.