Recognizing Purpose in the Present
Updated: Aug 10, 2022
Right now the neighbor’s dogs are barking relentlessly, again. I‘ve changed five diapers in two hours (I mean, how?) I’m still in my pajamas. Monotony threatens again to take over a perfectly decent Tuesday. This is usually how the negative slump starts at 7am and continues to snowball until 7pm when I can collapse on the couch and watch Netflix in peace. Sometimes I hate being asked what I did today. Ummm...well, we’re alive? Throw in a few minutes on social media viewing the colorful lives of friends and family that are surely more interesting than mine and you're an unhappy blob of exhausted discontentment.
Now, I love my life. Many days are filled with wonderful people and experiences, and I wouldn’t trade being a wife or mom for anything. But in the spirit of vulnerability, there is struggle. There are down days of questioning what I’m all about now. Even in the face of daily reminders of God’s blessings, I find myself bombarded with these thoughts. Doubts creep in, whispering lies about my inadequacy as a wife and mom. Discontentment follows suit as social media eagerly reminds me of how my mundane existence pales in comparison to theirs. Finally, discouragement effectively gives the last boot and I’m tumbling down to the dumps, where anxiety rules.
There’s nothing like stepping into marriage and motherhood to really rattle your sense of purpose and trigger an identity crisis. Regardless of where you find yourself today, know you are not simply riding the waves of an ocean of circumstances. This current season is more than a call to just hunker down and weather through. There is purpose in your present- whatever that looks like right now.
Take Hold of Truth
There is so much to be said about the multidimensional topic of purpose, and I had already started writing this segment when I decided to casually google it- woah! (Helloooo can of worms.) We’ll leave the deeper, philosophical discussions about discovering purpose for another day. For now, the best place to start is where it begins- with our Creator. Take some time to dial down the noise of life around you and tune in to His Word.
”For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” -Eph. 2:10, NLT
This fact alone should fill us with confidence. The doubt comes from an enemy who is only interested in things of death and takes delight in dragging us down to what I so endearingly label The Dumps. The first step in overcoming these things of darkness is calling out who we are in HIM and putting on the truth of God-ordained purpose. If you belong to Him, this is the core of who you are. This was engrained in the youngsters of my household from a young age; I still remember my mom’s words to me on my way out to meet the school bus: “Remember Whose you are.” It took years for me to grasp the meaning behind the phrase I initially thought as just bad grammar. It's not, "remember who's you are," it's "Remember WHOSE you are." Even if in the face of life’s tumultuous waters I pause to question who I am at times, I can fall back on the truth of Whose I am. A child of the King. In this I am secure.
”And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” - Rom. 8:28, NLT
There is nothing random or accidental about where you find yourself today. And while taking hold of this knowledge does not eliminate the practical problems you may be facing right now, we can challenge ourselves to first embrace and uphold the truth that every single day of life has purpose, direction, and meaning. What appears nonsensical or meaningless right now is being woven together as a stunning work of art. Whether the dirty diapers are stacking up, things have gone haywire at work, or it’s just another seemingly-average Tuesday, celebrate this fact. Remember Whose you are and that you have a God-ordained purpose in this present moment!