I know your purpose! Yes, you! And me! I found the answer to the golden question asked by believers everywhere, and as it turns out it's been there in the Bible the whole time.

I remember when "A Purpose Driven Life" came out and my parents (along with seemingly every protestant in America) read it in a bible/book study. I was supposed to read it too, as a consequence for a bad choice in high school, but truth be told I read the spark notes and answered the questions in the back as "proof" of reading (it's how I got through most literature in High School - reformed rebel here 🙋‍♀️). It's probably a good book, I imagine, though I still haven't read it. But why read a book when I can read the bible?  The age old question "What is my purpose?" has been answered by scripture, and most of us have missed it. I sure did! For about 36 years of my life or so, although I had read it more than once, I read right over it.

A wise old woman with a heart that emanates the love of Messiah once recited this passage out to me in a teachable moment, and highlighted this little part that has escaped oh so many of us. Ready? Here it is:

1 Thessalonians 5:16
Always rejoice! Pray unceasingly and give thanks in everything! For this is the will of God in Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah for you.

Did you catch it? His will for us is to:

1. Rejoice
2. Continually pray
3. Give thanks in everything!

It's simple, but sometimes harder to put into action. 

Yes, yes, yes. I know. I also would prefer more specifics for ME and what I'M specifically supposed to be doing. But I just wonder...can I be faithful to receive and do a specific-to-me something if I am already having a hard time just doing these basics that are for all believers? 

What if (hear me out) when we are able to do these 3 things consistently - not as a chore - but out of the overflow of love for our Father...what if that's when more individual instruction will be shown to us by the Holy Spirit? Don't get me wrong...it may start out feeling a little unnatural or like a chore, but in case you hadn't noticed, more often than not we have to discipline our flesh and mind to fall in line with our Spirit. Even King David had to command his soul ("Bless the Lord, oh my soul!" Psalm 103:1 - that's a command)! We instruct it to be obedient to the Father even when we don't feel like it, and what pretty much always happens is Holy Spirit meets us there and gives us a big dousing of love! We wonder why we ever dragged our feet in the first place.

We begin to crave rejoicing, praying & naturally begin overflowing with gratefulness because He is in all of those things. He inhabits the praises of His people, He hears our prayers, and when we're in gratefulness, we can't be in fear or scarcity. Delight in YHWH and He will give you the desires of your heart (that's Psalm 37:4). What I mean is that Abba will begin to highlight those more specific-to-you action steps of your purpose when we're faithful in the basics. 

I've experienced this first hand. I won't say I'm perfect at it, but I have grown significantly in these and have seen purpose explode in my life (in a good way). When we are faithful with little He will give us more to be faithful with (and likewise with much)! 

So if you've been struggling to know your purpose - what Abba has for you to do in this life, start by being consistent in the basics. If you do, I truly believe He will open up the desires of your heart (sometimes desires you may not even realize you have) and give you instruction on the mission He has always had specifically for you!

Blessings!
Stasia