4 Questions To Figure Out Your Passions and God Goals
I could easily look at my friends and point out each of their passions and God goals.
“She loves performing. Like, seriously, throw her on a stage and she’ll do fine!”
“Film is her thing! She could talk about Charlie Chaplain for days and will receive an Emmy Award.”
“Yeah, she could create art for days. Basically our modern day Van Gogh.”
If you are like my friends and have an indisputable passion, yay! It makes me so happy you see the things in this world that are clearly created for your life’s calling. (The rest of this blog will challenge you to see how God can be glorified in the bigger picture of where your passions are.)
However, some of you may be like me. And if you’re like me, I spent years (yes, literal years!) trying to point out this tangible thing of what my passions and goals were.
It isn’t that we aren’t created with passion or goals. God didn’t create us in our mother’s womb and said “nope, this girl definitely isn’t going to care about ANYTHING. Nothing will make her come alive, and we will place no goals inside of her that will do anything for the kingdom.” No, God placed us here for a reason.
You and I have one. Probably even several passions and God goals. Guaranteed.
““For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” ”
I hope reading this verse speaks to your soul the way it did mine when I felt lost. I convinced myself that no where inside of me did I have larger than life goals or true passions.
But reading this promise in Ephesians brought truth that there is something God has already prepared for me. This framed my life to be less of an aimless meandering through the woods and more of an exciting treasure hunt-esque discovery of the hidden treasures of my identity and purpose in Christ.
We are created by God, for God, for good works. Paul is spitting cold hard truth to the church in Ephesus in this line. So a few thousand years later, we take Paul and unravel this truth - how can we manifest this in our personal lives today?
In clinging to this truth, I thought I would be struck by lightening and God would open up the Heavens and say “yes, Jonah. This is why you’re here on Earth. Now, go!”
No. God began to give me more questions than answers. Soooo frustrating. But what my tiny human mind slowly realized was that the tension, questions and frustration fueled the very flame God used to purify my heart and only desire what was in His.
“…the tension, questions and frustration fueled the very flame God used to purify my heart and only desire what was in His.”
So if you’re lost or frustrated like I was, don’t despise this season! Lean into the tension. Lean into the awkwardness. Because even though it seems like fog, God is 100% there.
As you go through this season, here are 4 pivotal discussion questions God and I talked about that made me realize my true passion. These questions shone light that my one passion was for His people and my God goal to have a generation that knows their God and who he’s created them to be.
I hope these guide you to uncover the very thing(s) God has interwoven in your heavenly heartbeat (:
What makes you mad?
Yes, there are things that you love that other people hate. But there are things that irritate you that no one else even cares about!
For example,, people who settle for mediocrity when they’re meant for greatness annoy me deeply. I would look at them internally screaming, “DON’T YOU GET IT? YOU’RE AMAZING AND ABLE! HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK OF SETTLING?”
But some people believe in the chill, go with the flow of life. And that’s okay.
How about you? Do you find yourself angry at injustice towards oppressed populations? Are you frustrated when people suggest subpar french fries over the good french fries? These things all hint at the beautiful heart God’s given you!
2. What could you talk about for hours?
The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45 (ESV)
Imagine yourself backstage, and the announcer is introducing you and your TED talk/lecture/etc. What’s it all about?
What you say is an amazing indicator of what your heart beats for! Take inventory of what you say and the conversation topics you get lost in.
3. When you look at your space (desk, car, bed, etc.) what do you keep closest to you?
Check your surroundings and see what you keep close to you. For me, I began to notice that I would always have pictures of my friends and family around me. I loved them, they motivated me the most.
Take a look around and see what it is you keep close. Is it your music? Is it your handy swiffer duster? Is it your planner? These all unveil a piece of what is dear to your God-given heart.
4. How does God draw nearer to you?
Oftentimes, people try to limit the way God speaks down to the Bible, church, a person at Costco who says they had a divine word from the Lord to say to you.
Yes! These are all great ways for the Lord to talk, but why limit Him to simply that? His purpose is too great a thing to limit it to those moments of the day.
In the bible we see Jesus use a fish (Matthew 17:37), stories (countless times in the Gospels), circumstances (John 2: 1-11), and what would seem like your daily task (John 4) to speak to His people, and I believe if we’re a little more keen and ask Him to open up our spiritual eyes and ears, we’ll begin to see that He’s been talking, but we just haven’t been listening close enough.
Take a moment and see what God can teach you through a walk in the park. Or when people watching and seeing them interact. Or the revelation you get when doing a lift at the gym. This is a way you’ll see the passions within you come to life.
It’s always my prayer that you draw nearer to seeing God and who He’s created you to be. I hope these questions help guide you, revolutionize how you see God moving in your life, and spark a little more joy in the purpose you were created for!
With love,
Jo