Do you ever wonder about your true purpose—why you're here and what to do with your life?

I think we all do at some point. It's part of life.

The good news is that God has uniquely crafted each of us to fulfill His good purposes. He has given us talents, abilities and desires to do or to be something—and most likely we have more than one life purpose.

Some people seem born with their talent, like a gifted vocalist who sings beautifully. Others, develop and hone their skill; they take classes and practice, practice, practice.

Either way, it is helpful to know why you are here and how to fulfill your purposes in life. It will give you greater peace and stability. It will help others and please God. And you will live each day with passion and joy.

Knowing and Loving God
Primarily, you are here to know God, love God and serve Him. He created you and me. We were His idea!

And God loves each of us so much that He wants us to be spiritually alive, not just physically alive. When we make a decision to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ we become spiritually "alive." No longer powerless and dead in our sins and shortcomings. We are connected, no longer disconnected from God.

That means God gives us the power and strength to live this hard and messy life. To make better choices. And to do things we never could do in our own strength.

In fact, God loved you and me and the world so much, that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ—to come to Earth, to show us how to live and love (See John 3:16. You may even want to read the entire book of John). Christ suffered and died on a wooden cross. He was buried in a stone-cut tomb. But three days later, a miracle happened: Christ defeated death. He rose from death to life. Victorious. Alive! The One who loves you most gave His life, so you could live.

That is amazing love. And it deserves a response.

So we choose to love Him. And worship Him. We learn to live like Jesus, to love, help and serve others. And we begin to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ. And enjoy Him.

Life is no longer the same.

It is infinitely better.

Loving and Being Loved
We are also here to love others and be loved; to serve and be served so the "body" of believers is built up and others discover—through our words and actions—who God is so that they may know Him too.

We are here to be the visible expression of the living God. That means, we apply the life-giving truth of the Bible to our everyday actions. We forgive others because Christ first forgave us. We love people who are hard to love because Christ gives us the strength to do it. We don't expect perfection of ourselves or others, but choose to let God transform us—to build up our strengths and deal with our weaknesses.

Finding and Fulfilling Your Life Callings
To be sure, we are here to find and fulfill our callings in work, ministry and life—to use our God-given talents and gifts. When we do, it helps and blesses others and it brings us joy.

But sometimes we can get weighed down with things that keep us stuck, like the heavy rocks of grief, anger or unresolved conflict. Are you holding a grudge against someone who has hurt you? Has your self-esteem tanked and you don't have the courage to take risks or make decisions to propel you forward in life?

When you feel like you have nothing to offer or something is holding you back, remember this:

God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called.

When I heard that phrase years ago, it gave me hope—and freedom. I don't have to make it happen on my own. When I cannot, God can. He has the wisdom, the strength and the resources to do anything, and He is more than willing and able to equip me (and you) to live our out purposes. What a relief.

I just need to ask and trust Him. And you can too.

Preparing for Victory
I've heard that successful baseball players will mentally prepare themselves for a game by picturing in their mind the steps they will take during the game to win. They see themselves hitting the ball out of the park, running all of the bases and sliding in to home plate. They see themselves winning.

Here are some essential steps to find and fulfill your life callings. And, by God's grace, to find victory in your life:

PONDER

Take some time to think about these questions: What do you envision for the next stage of your life? What are your passions? What do you dream of doing in life? Write a book. Start your own business. Help the hungry. Be a missionary. Change careers. Be a mentor. Whatever the vision, passions or dreams in your life, write down your ideas on a "Dream Sheet." List the possibilities.


PRAY

Then talk with God in prayer. Tell Him your thoughts. Share your dreams for your future. Ask Him for wisdom and guidance. Ask God for your next step. And for the time, energy, resources, motivation and skills to do all He leads you to do. Take time to listen. Choose to trust God. He knows and loves you, and wants His best for you.


SEEK COUNSEL

As you pray about finding and fulfilling your purposes, you may want to take a "Spiritual Gifts" test or seek a wise counsel from a Christian counselor, pastor, mentor or trusted friend.


TAKE ACTION

God may be calling you to something new this year—or to persevere in continuing something you've already started. Either way, you need to take action.

As you learn to take purposeful and prayerful risks, you will set sail on some amazing adventures in life. So, make a decision. Take one small step. Then another—and soon you are building momentum. God will guide you every step of the way.

Venture out. Journey on with new vision, hope and joy. With God as your Captain—strong, seasoned, loving and kind—who knows what adventures await?