Success means
different things to different people, to some its having a large bank account,
to others, is been an entrepreneur or owning your own business and to others it
could be having a big car.
All of those
things mentioned above are some of the things rich people have, we must be able
to distinguish between been rich and been successful. All rich men are not
necessarily successful and all successful men are not necessarily financially
buoyant.
So, success is not
been rich in the sense of money, or owning a house or an n expensive car, it is
not a particular event and it is not a destination. I would like to take the
definition of one of my mentors.
John Maxwell
defined success thus: Success
is a journey not a destination, Success is knowing your purpose in life, and
growing to reach your maximum potential and sowing seeds that benefits others.
Success actually starts with the discovery
of purpose; have you found
what your God given purpose for life is? Because until you discover it, you just
exist, filling space. Your life actually begins when you discover your purpose.
Your life doesn’t start the day you were born but the day you discover the
reason why you were born.
How then can one
identify his purpose in life, I would state four simple ways how you can
discover your purpose;
Listen to your dissatisfaction:
We
have been taught that dissatisfaction is a bad thing, that we should do
everything to avoid it, shove it down, ignore it and act like it doesn’t bother
us. Take a pill, plaster on a smile, buy something new, but above all don’t consider
that God might be using it to make us uncomfortable so we’ll want to swim in
another ocean where our gifts can shine.
Don’t
get me wrong; dissatisfaction can be a result of spiritual warfare (Eph.
6:10-12) and not an indication that we are out of God’s will. But it can also
be a road sign that He has another purpose for us. So if you’re miserable in
your current career or job, (and you have been for a long time), you’ve prayed,
sought counsel from others, looked for guidance through Scripture, and you’re
still miserable, consider that God may have another plan.
Listen to others:
One
of my friends when recently when we talked about the entertainment industry, he
spoke so much about the industry, he seems to have so much knowledge about
musicians and actors, he loves singing and he does have a fantastic voice, I remember
asking him, why are you not into entertainment? His response was that, others
ask him that question too.
Just
as dissatisfaction can be a road sign from God to show you your purpose,
listening to what others say about your gifts can do the same; so when someone
notices or comments on one of your talents, take note. God may be trying to
tell you something through His people.
There
are times, however, when we shouldn’t listen to what others say. But when what
they say about us agrees with our passions, internal convictions, gifting and
what God has already revealed to us, it can be a solid indication of our God-given
purpose.
Listen to your gift:
I
have a class mate who is fantastic at law and history also with anything
related to politics, but he is studying management. He is a great composer and writer,
I admire him a lot, I always wonder what he is doing studying management. He is
a very outspoken guy, always wanting to speak out when he feels people are oppressed,
I call him a human rights activist. Your gifts are road signs to where God is
directing you.
Have
you ever considered your talents and gifts? Do you get a kick out of soccer?
Are you a strategic thinker? A great listener? Can you motivate others to
action with your words? Are you skilled at building things? I suggest making a
list of the things and activities that interest you in which you excel. You can
also ask yourself, “What’s the one thing that I do better than others?” This
can also clue you in to your God-given purpose.
The
gifts God gives us are like little seeds planted inside us, but for them to
grow we have to use them. This means that if you can’t identify which “Gift
Seeds” God has given you; try doing new things that interest you. Through these
new experiences, God will reveal more to you about who you are and how He has
called you to serve Him.
Listen to your passions:
If
I could ask you what makes you angry, joyful, excited or passionate, what would
you say? Take note of when your emotions are moved; these times can be a sign
of your God-given purpose.
I
get fired up when I hear about the state of the church, I realize that my
passions are toward making it better in the body of Christ. When I was into
business I knew that, I was going to be in there for a while, because all of my
passions were about the church. I realize in my conversations with my friends it’s
all about the church, this could be a pointer to where God wants me to be.
I
am always concerned about what happens to my pastors or pastors anywhere in the
world, my ears are on the ground watching for their progress and when something
happens to them it worries me, so much. All these are pointers to what God
wants me to do. I know and I have always said it that I will only find
fulfillment in the church, doing God’s work.
Pray.
Ask God to show you the things that move you and make a list. And remember, He
wants you to discover His purpose for you more than you do.
Lastly,
consider that your purpose is not just about you; it’s about what God wants to
do through you. Therefore, if you ignore or neglect your dissatisfaction, what
others say about you, your gifts and your passions, you are not only betraying
yourself, but betraying God; because He has called you to a purpose and wants
you to walk in it — for others and for your own joy.
Also
consider that since God has called you, He is completely able to reveal your
purpose to you, and He will as you diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).
