Secret #1: Discover Your Unique Purpose

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
–John 10:10

Yesterday, I came across a great definition of country music: “three chords and the truth.” That summarizes most country music, doesn’t it? Three chords and the truth. It reminded me of the poet Carl Sandburg’s summary of the history of the world and its people. He defined history not in three chords, but in three words: “Born, troubled, died.” According to Sandburg, that is the whole of human existence. One Chicago sewer worker expanded that definition as he described his life like this: “I dig the ditch to earn the money to buy the food to get the strength to dig the ditch.” Unfortunately, that is the cycle most people are trapped in in their daily lives.

But God means more for us than that kind of meaningless existence. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Beyond just an everyday existence, God wants us to have an extraordinary life–not just when we die and go to heaven, but beginning right now and extending through eternity.

This week, we are looking at the Old Testament character Elijah–an ordinary person whom God used in an extraordinary way. As far as God is concerned, there can never be enough Elijah-like men and women of passion, purpose, and prayer walking the earth.

Elijah discovered and lived out seven secrets for spiritual significance and success. This week, we will look at Elijah’s first and foundational secret for living a truly extraordinary life, and that is discovering your unique purpose.

Your specific purpose in life can be described as the story God has uniquely created for you to tell the world. That is what your unique purpose is. But your specific story is connected to a bigger story that God is telling throughout the universe. You and I are part of a bigger story: God’s general purpose for everybody who lives. When you pursue God’s purpose, He will transform your ordinary existence into an extraordinary life!

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Secret #1: Discover Your Unique Purpose” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2017.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.