Understanding Your Purpose: 3 Ways to Know Your Why and Model Jesus
Understanding your purpose clarifies why you are doing something, changes your attitude, and deepens your faith.
Years ago, as a newlywed, I quickly realized that cooking for someone other than myself was overwhelming, and that I was not a very good cook.
My husband, on the other hand, loves to cook and is a natural. He joyfully gathers ingredients, chops, mixes, and serves with ease and grace.
As our family grew, I became ‘head chef’, so I slowly learned to embrace it. I never completely mastered the craft, no matter how many times I practiced, but I managed to get the job done. We were all fed and we connected at the kitchen table.
My skills did not change much, but understanding my purpose helped change my attitude.
Preparing meals and eating togehter brought our family closer and allowed me to serve and demonstrate love. Meaningful conversations, laughter, and life lessons were shared over bowls of decent spaghetti and chicken.
During mealtime, we explored our faith and discussed what an identity in Christ looks like.
Understanding Your Purpose: Model Jesus
While reading the story of Jesus and his disciples feeding the 5000, I realized that if I had been one of the disciples, my response would have been the same as theirs, recorded in Luke 9.
“Toward the end of the day, the twelve apostles came to him. They said to him, “Send the crowd to the closest villages and farms so that they can find some food and a place to stay.”
Luke 9:12 GW
But Jesus had a different plan. He understood that by feeding the crowd, He could love and serve His followers, teach the disciples valuable lessons, and keep everyone near Him to continue teaching.
He knew His ‘why’ and hoped to illuminate His purpose to the disciples and change their ‘why’.
Understanding Your Purpose
Understanding your purpose can be confusing and takes time and intentionality.
Here are 3 encouraging ways to understand your purpose before you take action.
3 Ways to Understand Your Purpose
- Ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’
Understanding your purpose means knowing why you do what you do.
Jesus had a purpose when he walked this earth: to heal minds, bodies and souls, teach about the Kingdom of God and beocme the sacrifice for us.
When the disciples didn’t want to be bothered with feeding the crowds, Jesus was determined to do so because feeding them was part of the mission. The main goal was to love people and lead them to follow Him.
It can be tempting to jump into things without understanding your purpose.
Pausing to ask ourselves why we are doing something may change our direction, keep us from participating, and make unpleasant assignments more enjoyable.
- Pray about your purpose
After finding five loaves and two fish, Jesus prayed over them and asked God to bless them.
“Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and blessed the food. He broke the loaves apart and kept giving them to the disciples to give to the crowd.”
Luke 9:16 GW
While preparing meals for my family, I often ask God to bless my efforts and help me shine His light throughout the process.
Even through uncomfortable situations and people, prayer and God’s presence changes our hearts, the atmosphere, and the outcome.
- Make a plan
Jesus had a plan because He understood His purpose. He instructed the disciples to have the people break up into smaller groups.
“Then he told his disciples, “Have them sit in groups of about fifty.”
Luke 9:14 GW
Then he broke the bread and the fish and had his disciples distribute them.
The result was an abundance of food; everyone was fed, and there were leftovers.
“All of them ate as much as they wanted. When they picked up the leftover pieces, they filled twelve baskets.”
Luke 9:17 GW
Having a plan for accomplishing a goal, especially a difficult one, brings clarity, peace, and the motivation to get started.
Understanding your purpose changes your attitude, opens your heart to experience gratitude and joy, and makes an impact.
Understanding Your Purpose: A Prayer
Dear Lord, before I move forward, quiet my heart and clear my mind.
Please help me understand your purpose and the why behind what I am about to do.
If this is Your purpose, guide my path, give me peace and courage to follow it.
Help my actions reflect You even as I overcome my shortcomings.
Amen.
This article on Understanding Your Purpose was published as part of the Daily Daybreak Devotions on Crossmap.com.
Author
Mary Rooney Armand
Mary is the founder and writer for the faith-based blog Butterflyliving.org. Her writing is featured in multiple anthologies and websites, and she is the author of Uniquely Made: Understanding and Embracing Your Identity in Christ and Life-Changing Stories, a devotional collection available on Amazon. Get to know Mary and the other authors of ButterflyLiving on YouTube.
