A few months ago, I discussed the concept of living deliberately. I discovered that there was a fine line between living life to its fullest and just doing for the sake of doing.
In this haze of fatigue and frustration, I found myself longing for not only purpose in how I was spending my time, but some passion. There was a desire to discover and pursue my gifts, and urgency to do what I loved, but to also love what was right in front of me.
A week ago, I sat through a talk on sloth. Yeah. Sloth.
And I always thought sloth was just laziness, but that is so not the essence of that word. It’s closer to an apathy, a despair, a restlessness in the face of what one knows to be true and not acting upon it. Complacency.
I think one of the greatest temptations I think one can fall into in this season of almost-but-not-yet is complacency. I’ve seen it too often when I look at my peers, when I look at myself.
Here’s the thing: God has placed you where you are and has presented the opportunities in front of you that he has with great purpose.
Want to live life deliberately? Take a risk on something right in front of you. Don’t let fear keep you stationary.
As I wrote in my previous post, you can’t do everything. But you also can’t do nothing.
So how do you find that thing? Here are some questions I’ve had to answer in the last six months that have helped me make some important decisions and changes:
- What do you love about your life as it is right now? List those things out. Remember, nothing is too small.
- Where you you imagine yourself in five years? Think details! Think calling!
- What about where you currently are is pointed in that direction?
- What, in your life currently, do you need to change to move toward this calling?
- In what areas in your life have you felt the most joy?
- In what areas in your life have you felt the most purpose?
Wrestling through these questions, I had the help of some olders in my life, but also some great books. I recommend taking a look at Restless by Jennie Allen and Present Over Perfect by Shauna Neiquist.
I pray you move forward rather than staying still. I pray God meets you as you search for purpose and fullness in a season we’ve been told for so long is just a waiting game.
There’s no waiting here. There is only you and God and the adventure he’s prepared for you.
