I heard it said recently

You’ll never know who you are until you know WHY you are.
-Gary Barkalow

and

“Even when there is nothing to do, there is someone to BE.
-Unknown

I’ve heard people repeat the phrase, “Know who you are in Christ,” but I never knew what it meant until I found why I was made. I was made because God needed someone with my skills and personality to fill a role. Maximus faught tyranny, Frodo carried a ring, Neo was the One, Morphus found the One. Moses led, Noah built, David shot a rock and became a warrior king. When it becomes clear that you are a priority to God and he has built you for a specific purpose (or two or three) then you realize that it doesn’t matter from where you’ve come. The sun can’t rise quickly enough for you to start living the purpose written on your heart.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jer. 29:11-12

I medicated my whole life until I found my purpose now I’m too busy for petty distractions. I can see now what God has brought me through to give me the talents I’ll need to achieve that goal.

You say you don’t know how to find your passion or even what you want to do when/if you grow up? The answer is written on your heart (I know it sounds all warm and fuzzy, new agey, and Oprahish but its true.)

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Ps 37:4

There are a couple of questions that can help: (It is important to remember when searching not to assign a value to your passion let God reveal it to you and then go from there)

  • If you had a year off work and money was no object what would you do? Start a business, a non-profit, a website. Sail around the world, play trumpet in a band?
  • What makes you so angry you’d fight to change it? Injustice, Poverty, Apathy, Organized Religion?
  • What makes you loose track of time? What captures your attention so completely you don’t realize how long you’ve been at it? Writing, deep conversation, fixing broken things, fixing broken people?

I’ll leave you with one more quote:

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman

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