Divine Purpose

Reflecting on Psalm 139, Max Lucado observes that each of us comes into the world packaged for a God-given purpose, that we have been graced with everything we will need to realize our potential and fulfill this special destiny. My anxiety and depression, my restlessness and discontent may be little more than a reflection of my failure to connect with my divine purpose. If I'm not sure what divine intention God has in store for me, all I need do is ask myself what it is that I really love to do and do well. With what special skills, talents, qualities and characteristics has my life been uniquely packaged? I must beware however because what I might think is God's purpose may, in effect, be the ego manipulating me to satisfy its own cravings.

Rewriting the Oh, God! conversations between Jerry (played by John Denver) and God (played by George Burns) as an instant message has renewed my appreciation for the simple yet at the same time profound theology behind the screenplay. Simply stated, God has done his part and given us all we need, now it is up to us. Lucado's reflections are a revisiting of the same theme. God has done his part and now brings each of us into the world to play a unique and special role and has equipped us with everything we will need to carry out that purpose. It indeed is now up to us.

I'm still trying to figure out my own divine purpose. I like to write and give spiritual talks. I have been given a tone of voice and a command of vocabulary that others say they find "calming and peaceful." My life has taken me on a runaway roller coaster ride of ups and downs, highs and lows. I am convinced this too has a purpose - to give me the kind of life experience necessary to foster empathy. And I believe God has allowed me to be frequently wounded so that I might be a means of healing for others.

On the other hand my ego directs me to seek recognition and affirmation. It likes to "get noticed" and so I blog with the hope of getting hoards of comments and attaining the featured status that has so far eluded me. Because I have never enjoyed such ego-success, I wrestle with losing interest in blogging altogether and try to convince myself blogging has nothing to do with God's purpose for me anyway.

QUESTION: What do you think is God's special purpose for you? How has God equipped you to fulfill that special purpose? How does the ego manipulate that purpose to meet its needs?