“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” – (New International Version, 2011, Colossians 3:3)
Go the distance with God. Pursue Him in such a way that indicates He is your reward and delight. Allow God to both reveal and carry out His purposes in and through you. Commit to learning who the Lord created you to be. You owe it to your Creator to know your story and how it unfolds. In eternity, He crafted the blueprint of your life masterfully and beautifully. Each detail of you is woven into the fabric of His kingdom.
All your days were ordained in His book before one of them ever came to be (Psalm 139:16, NIV). You are a part of God’s divine program on the Earth. There are people waiting on the other side of your obedience. There are those counting on you walking in your purpose boldly and obediently. “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are” (Romans 8:19, NLT).
There is more that God would have you do, and He is calling you into deeper fellowship with Him. He is calling you to a place that is far above your intellect, emotions, and desires. He is drawing you into the fulfillment of His plan for you. That plan is His assignment for your life-your reason for being and your divine duty. This assignment, however, is not one that you casually stumble upon. Uncovering your assignment requires intimacy with God. Many people conduct their lives with a trial-and-error approach. They test and try out different things, hoping to eventually bump into their purpose, and while there is nothing wrong with learning your passions or giftings, discovering your assignment requires intentionality, and you don’t have the privilege of living an unfulfilled or casual life.
God, who knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end, has a thorough and intimate knowledge of who He has created you to be. The Bible lets you know that you were created to do good works that God had planned for you in advance (Ephesians 2:10). So, rather than guessing what your purpose is, why not take the time to ask God what He intends to do with you? Many in this generation are anxious and frustrated because they don’t know that there is more to them than what they think or see. They are led by feelings and not divine inspiration. They live each day for themselves as if their life is their own, without any regard for the One who appointed their days. The late pastor Dr. Myles Munroe once said that “Where the purpose of a thing is unknown, abuse is inevitable.” The Bible also teaches that “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint” (Proverbs 29:18, NIV).
When you fail to understand your true self, you allow any and everything to have its place in your life. You drift into emptiness and meaningless endeavors, and life then becomes more of a burden than a gift. God never intended for you to feel or live this way. So, as you read, ask yourself the following questions: Have I undertaken roles and responsibilities that God never endorsed because I neglected to inquire of the Lord? Am I striving to forge my own path? How often do I find that I’ve been running in the wrong direction? If you’ve reflected on these questions and are more confused than assured, keep reading.
Your assignment is hidden in God, and the only way you will ever come to know it is if you seek Him. The word “hidden” is not to suggest that God is somehow concealing or withholding your purpose. Instead, God has kept it securely within Himself so that through your desire to learn His purpose, you will find Him, and when you find Him, you will find life. Jeremiah 29:13, NIV says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” You don’t have to waste precious time wandering, trying to figure things out yourself when the One who holds your destiny stands ready to respond.
Seeking God starts with placing Him in His rightful position in your life. But what is the rightful position? It is in first place. He must be exalted far above everything else. To seek God, you must set aside distractions, inordinate affections, and your pursuit of things. Matthew 6:33, NIV says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” You must desire Him for who He is and not for what is in His hand. You must want Him more than you want comfort or convenience. It is then that you can come before Him to say, “Lord, show me who I am. Help me to discern your will for me.”
It is important to note that sometimes God may not answer inquiries immediately. He may allow you to ask for days, weeks, and even months before speaking. In those seasons, resist the temptation to think He does not hear you. He simply desires to draw you deeper into His presence where He wants you to be always. But the issue for many may lie in their unwillingness to “stay” and do whatever it takes to know this God and His plan for them. They stop short of full surrender because it requires giving up something. Seeking God demands your time and attention. It requires discipline. So, what will you lay aside to run the race that is set before you?
You may have started on this journey to discovery once before and called it quits, or you may even doubt that God has a plan for you altogether. But what you should know today is that God does have a plan for you, and it is glorious. Do not allow the devil to deceive you. God does not create rubbish. He is far too intentional to create life only to waste it. If you are breathing, it is for a purpose, a purpose that God has every intention of fulfilling. He has placed within you everything you need to run this race of destiny and win. Even more, you don’t run alone. You have the Comforter and Guide. You don’t go in your own strength. His grace is sufficient for you, and He gives strength to the weary (2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 40:29). So, don’t shrink back. On your mark, get set, go!
Prayer: Lord, show me who you’ve created me to be and give me the grace to fulfill my assignment.