In a few weeks, you will have a chance to retake your Purpose Assessment, provided you have taken it once before since I issued the Purpose Challenge last August. In preparation, you may wish to review the Memos I have written to help you with the Challenge, all of which can be found here. One of the statements in the Assessment is "I examine how I feel for clues to determine what I should or should not do with my life." Why is this a statement on the Purpose Assessment?
It's hard to walk in someone else's expectations, especially when those expectations don't relate to your purpose. You can try to please society, your family, and even your own expectations of what you think you should be or do, but eventually you will fail. It will deplete your energy and creativity and you will be miserable - and only you will know. So what's the answer?
It's simple; just don't do it.
You must resist every attempt when someone, well-meaning or otherwise, tries to get you to fulfill their vision for your life. You must learn to have and pursue your own vision, for it is the only road to happiness and success, and one of the roadsigns for that vision or purpose is the joy or lack of it in your own heart.
That's what David had to do before he was king and it served him well. You may want to read the story to which I am referring in 1 Samuel 17 before we proceed.
TRY THIS ON.
The story of David and Goliath is known in many cultures and lands. Every day, Goliath and the armies of Israel would line up across from one another and nothing would happen. One day, David came to check up on his brothers and heard Goliath taunting the armies of Israel. That made him angry and he wondered why no one was doing anything about it.
When he heard that there was a reward for anyone who would kill Goliath, David immediately volunteered to do the deed.
When David told King Saul that he [David] would be the one to kill Goliath, Saul laughed, dismissing him as too young and inexperienced. David would not relent, so Saul eventually gave in and sanctioned the encounter. Before he let David go, however, he gave David his personal armor to wear:
Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:38-40).
David could not function in Saul's armor because Saul was a head taller than all his peers (see 1 Samuel 9:2). Instead David took off the armor and took up what he felt most comfortable with--a slingshot and some stones.
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW?
Do you see the lesson here? Saul had expectations that David could only fight dressed in body armor, so Saul gave him his. Others have tried to give you what fits them and you have tried to walk in it. It's not possible, however, for you to be a man or woman of purpose and walk in what someone else gives you. You must find your own joy, creativity and passion.
What's more, you can't explain it to anyone so they can understand. You don't even understand it! You just know what your heart is telling you and that is what you pursue, whether it makes perfect sense or not. Remember what the wisdom writer told us:
Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy (Proverbs 14:10 emphasis added).
You know how much you love music, art, travel, writing, business, preaching, or medicine. No one knows better than you what is in your heart, no matter how much they love you or well-intentioned they are. Only you are equipped to hear and follow your heart. Are you up to the task?
This week it's time to be honest. Are you trying to fulfill someone else's expectations for you? Have you put on someone else's armor? If so, take it off immediately! Don't face your Goliaths this week in someone else's image for you. Face them in your own; that is good enough to get the job done. You will be lighter, nimbler and happier than you have been in a while, and it will be a significant step to identify and embrace your purpose. As you do, I know you will have a great week!
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I WANT MONEY FOR MY ANNIVERSARY!: No, it's not my wedding anniversary, but in the first week of March, the Monday Memo will turn ten years old! In the first week of March, I will write Memo 492, which means I have missed only four weeks per year in writing the Memo since 2001. Thank You, Lord, for your help!
So what do I want for the Memo anniversary? I want money, cold hard cash, dollars and cents.
Don't worry, the money is not for me, it's for the children and widows in Kenya.
This past week I received a $3,000 check toward THE BIG GOAL of $10,000 I set last November. That makes the total raised $8,000! That is fantastic, but it's not $10,000.
So I am asking you for money to celebrate the Monday Memo's 10th anniversary.
If the Monday Memo has been a blessing to you, can you send something for the children?
If the daily Proverbs devotionals have been a blessing, can you you send something for the widows?
If the weekly Bible studies have been a blessing, can you send something to feed those who don't have the wherewithal to feed themselves?
If my daily quotes on Facebook have been an encouragement, can you sow some seed with those in need?
Often in my life, I have not done a little because I could not do a lot. I have not given $100, because I could not give $1,000. I have not given $50, because it wasn't $100. You get the idea - I haven't done what I could because I wanted to do more.
If that's how you think too, then stop thinking like that and give $5, $10, anything to help me with THE BIG GOAL.
You can give through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. I know there is someone out there who is supposed to invest in this project. Maybe it's you? But if it isn't you, don't let that stop you from sending what you can and sending it today. Thank you and God bless you.
P.S. If you need to read more about my initiatives in Kenya, you can go here to read them in their entirety.
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