If you are going to discover your purpose, you must pay close attention! That sounds so obvious, but it isn't always so easy to do. To better understand what I mean and how to follow through, it will be necessary for you to read on.
WHO TOUCHED ME?There are many stories from Jesus' life and ministry that intrigue me. Here is one of them:
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it (Mark 5:24b-32).
Jesus was so in touch with his surroundings that He knew when someone with a need touched Him. I am sometimes not aware that someone is in need when they tell me, but Jesus knew just by a touch. He could feel that something had happened, although for some reason the Son of Man did not know who it was (or perhaps He knew but wanted to the woman to speak up for herself, since she had tried to maintain her anonymity).
I relate this verse to one found in Proverbs where seeking your purpose is concerned.
Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy (Proverbs 14:10).
So how are these two passages related?
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HEART!If you are searching for purpose, you must pay attention to what touches you and takes something from you. If you help an elderly person and you have unspeakable joy, you must ask, "Who and what just touched me? Why am I so exhilarated?" If you create art and it is a spiritual and emotional high for you, you must ask, "Why do I love it so?" if you are in a job that everyone says you should love but you don't, you have to ask, "Why am I so unhappy? What's missing here? What do I know that others don't' about my heart?"
If you are going to find and fulfill your purpose, you must stop talking yourself out of or into how you should feel. You must pay closer attention than ever before to your own bitterness and joy and start asking better questions, questions like, "What just touched me and why did I feel so good (or bad)?"
I stopped trying to make myself enjoy something I don't. I stopped listening to others tell me why I should be joyful when I was not. I stopped trying to explain why I loved doing something or going somewhere when others didn't feel the same thing or even understand what I was sensing. In other words, I started paying attention and stopped apologizing for who I am.
So what about you? Are you ready to pay attention and then do something about what you love and don't love? Are you ready to stop apologizing for who you are? Are you ready to stop following others' expectations and follow your heart? If you are, then you will surely find your purpose. God wants you to know and if you will stop fighting it, you cannot help but find it, probably with the evidence from the encounters with your own heart and experience. Have a great week!
Feel free to write your comments to this entry on the site where it is posted (plus you can check out my new promo picture on the site itself!)
***********************************************
THE REVELATION PROJECT: Today was to be the last day for my free shipping offer for my latest book, The Revelation Project: A Fresh Look at the Last Book. I am going to extend the offer one more week to Monday, July 5.
You can check out the book price and a really cool video promo for the book on my website.
Thanks for the message, Dr. S. I find it life-changing.
Posted by: Shepherd Makanha | June 28, 2010 at 02:20 AM
Hi John,
You are a God-sent. This is just what I wanted to hear today. I'm in the middle of seeking divine intervention and guidance towards the next step of my career. Thank you and may the Holy Spirit continue to guide your writing.
God Bless!
Posted by: NKN | June 28, 2010 at 05:39 AM
This is inspiring. Can't believe how long I have been ignoring my heart. My heart is wicked and deceitful above all things!
Posted by: David | June 29, 2010 at 10:41 AM