My Story Of Finding My Purpose

My Story Of Finding My Purpose

By John Livingston Clark

This is a follow-up to a very popular article written by another Bottomline author called, “Looking For Your Purpose?” For many people, finding their purpose is an illusive dream. How many are even asking the question, “Why am I here, what is God’s purpose for me?” I hope sharing my story will be of help to many who are truly seeking to know what they were created to do.

It starts with (1) taking a close personal inventory of one’s abilities and gifts. For many years, even since middle school, I knew I was good at writing; it was always enjoyable even though it was at times challenging and quite difficult. Looking back I see that I was meant to be a writer. Sometimes, (2) what you were good at in your younger years is what you are meant to do with your life. That is not always the case, but it was with me.

I always believed that if one is a Christian, (3) he or she has a Holy Spirit-endowed giftedness. Mine is teaching. Later in life when I began writing and speaking, that was confirmed by people. Spiritual gifts can be identified in three ways: you have a strong, compelling desire for something, others recognize it, and God’s blessing is upon it. All three of these elements are true of my teaching through writing and speaking.

Another indicator is (4) how God spoke to me from his word, the Bible. One day, several years ago, as I was reading through Psalms the passage in chapter 71, verses 17-18 seemed to jump off the page and God’s Holy Spirit gave me a strong sense that it was just for me. “O God, you have taught me from my youth, and I still declare your wondrous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to all who who are to come.” That day God gave me a personal mission statement (5).

My writing endeavor started in 2005 when I wrote eight words on a pad of paper: “Every life has a story; this is mine.” I began fulfilling my purpose with the little that I had at the time. You must (6) begin with what you have, where you are, no matter how limited. What matters is that I started! Those eight words, nine months later, became my first book which is now on Amazon.

God has verified that I have a gift for writing. God will (7) confirm your purpose. I have never had a writing class in my life and yet people all across the world have told me how my articles on Faithwriters have impacted their lives. By years end there will be 100,000 hits, including a college student on Fiji Island who rededicated his life to Christ.

Three years ago I was sitting in church and became very spiritually discontent. I had a compulsion to get out of the church pews and to start doing something to use my purpose outside the walls of the church building. That’s when I made contact with my local mission. Long story short, God opened that door of opportunity. If you (8) pursue opportunities in line with your purpose, God will provide them. In the last three years I have had the wonderful opportunity in using my purpose to share the good news of the saving grace of Jesus Christ with thousands of people at the mission who need healing and have no hope.

In 2005 I began (9) living my life intentionally, with purpose and vision. It is part of what motivates me to get up in the morning. Since that time I have had a (10) sense of urgency to proclaim the message of hope and healing through the gospel of Christ, any way I can to as many people as possible. Quitting is not an option, no matter the obstacles. I will persistently push forward to fulfill the purpose God has given me. It is my prayer that this article may help those of you reading it, to identify and pursue your purpose. Thanks for reading my story of how I found mine. May God bless you, as you find yours.