EVERYTHING Begins With PurposeSample

Day 3: What is your God-given pain? This is your second circle.

What kills you? What bothers you that doesn’t seem to bother others in the same way? If you could eradicate one thing from the planet, rescue one person, and change one reality, what would it be?

Even more than passion, pain is a clue to your God-given purpose.

There is bad pain. Have you ever had a toothache?

There is good pain. Have you ever worked a muscle hard at the gym?

Then, there is “God pain.” Have you ever had your heart broken because you became aware of a place, a people, a cause, or a need that once it came to you, you couldn’t get free from it without hardening your heart?

We have done a great disservice to our souls if we insulate ourselves from our God-entrusted pain. By changing the subject, the channel, or the website and ignoring something because it’s hard to see, we miss the moments that reveal our purpose.

The greatest things you will ever do, you will do because of pain.

Passion may cause you to join the fire department, but pain will be the reason you run into a burning building to rescue a child. Passion may cause you to become a teacher, but pain is what will make you a great influence in the lives of your students. Passion may cause you to enlist in the military, but pain is what causes heroes to jump on grenades.

Speaking of heroes, have you ever noticed what happens when someone has done something amazing for someone else, and the TV reporter puts a microphone in their face and calls them a hero? Without exception, they look away (embarrassment) or even down at their feet (shame) and say things like, “I’m no hero.” Why would they say that? The simple reason is that pain didn’t really give them an option. A child walks out onto a partially frozen pond and falls through. They begin to scream and fight the cold, but they know it won’t be long before this fight is over. Now, pretend that you and you alone are walking by and hear their screams. You have only two choices. One, risk your life and attempt to save the child. Two, keep walking and hear their screams for the rest of your life, knowing you did nothing about it. If you succeed in your rescue, you’ll be called a hero, and only you will know that pain really didn’t give you a choice.

Nehemiah built the walls around Jerusalem because of pain.

Moses led the deliverance of the Jews because of pain.

Jesus went to the cross because of pain.

All of them are heroes.

I’ll end this day’s reading with a question. Read the parable of the Good Samaritan and then ask yourself this question.

What made the Good Samaritan…good? Hint: It wasn’t his pedigree, education, upbringing, or religious beliefs. Those who had those things passed by without doing a thing. So, what was it?

Pay special attention to what “moves” him to action (V.33). When you do, you’ll see what moves all “heroes” to action. It isn’t passion, and it isn’t what we will learn about tomorrow. It’s a deep, God-given, gut-wrenching, life-changing, purpose-defining pain.

Homework: Draw a second circle and write the words that best describe your God-given pain.