Monday Memo 1230: Discovering What's Already There

 

Purpose isn’t something you create; it’s something you uncover. Long before you took your first breath, God wrote your purpose into your design. He placed within you specific gifts, preferences, and passions that point to what you were born to do. You don’t have to invent your calling—you only have to recognize what’s already been written by the Author of your life.

When people begin their purpose journey, they often expect God to hand them a detailed plan—a list of instructions or a lightning bolt of revelation. That can happen, but more often, purpose unfolds like a story you discover one page at a time. The clues are already there in your interests and abilities—and even your frustrations. Those things that consistently stir your heart or spark your imagination are not random. They’re divine fingerprints, indicators of what God has placed within you. And when you touch something, you leave a mark that sets you apart from everyone else.

Paul wrote to the Romans, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” That means your design is your assignment. Grace gives you both the desire and the ability to fulfill what God has prepared for you. If you’re graced to teach, then you’ll find joy in helping others learn. If you’re graced to lead, you’ll feel restless when vision is lacking. If you’re graced to create order (like me), you’ll naturally see patterns and solutions where others see confusion. These aren’t coincidences—they’re confirmations of divine intent.

I learned this firsthand years ago when I was wrestling with the question, “What’s my purpose?” I loved helping others find direction but didn’t see that as my calling (and they often sought me out for that reason)—it just felt like something I did naturally. Then one day, while in prayer, the Lord said, “You don’t make order; you create it.” That one phrase changed my entire perspective. I realized that bringing clarity, structure, and focus wasn’t a side activity—it was what I was created to do. From that moment on, my work, teaching, and writing all flowed from that single revelation. My purpose had been present all along; I just hadn’t recognized it.

This is how God works. He hides your purpose not from you, but for you—so that discovery requires relationship with Him. When you seek Him, He begins to connect the dots between your design and your destiny. As Psalm 139 reminds us, “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” That means your purpose isn’t a mystery to be solved; it’s a manuscript to be read, one obedient step at a time.

You don’t need to compare your calling to anyone else’s. Purpose isn’t about position—it’s about expression. God’s grace in you may not look like anyone else’s, and that’s exactly the point. Diversity in design reflects the creativity of the Creator. Don’t waste time wishing you had someone else’s gift. Instead, embrace what’s already in your hands and let God multiply it.

Discovering your purpose is less about asking, “What should I do?” and more about asking, “Who did God make me to be?” When you align your actions with your design, you’ll find a rhythm of grace that brings peace, not pressure. You’ll stop striving to fit molds that were never made for you (like when I tried to be what I call a ‘Sunday pastor’) and start flourishing in the story God already wrote.

So pause today and ask yourself: What has God consistently written into my life through my experiences, passions, and patterns? The clues are already there. Purpose doesn’t begin when you find it—it begins when you believe it’s already in you.

Reflection Questions

1. What activities, topics, or causes consistently stir your heart or bring you joy?

2. How has your natural design—your strengths, personality, and experiences—revealed your purpose over time?

3. In what ways might you be overlooking what God has already written in you because it feels “too normal”?

Prayer

Lord, thank You for writing my purpose into my design before I was born. Help me recognize Your fingerprints in my gifts, experiences, and passions. Deliver me from comparison and striving, and teach me to embrace the grace You’ve given me to be who You created me to be. Amen.

Application

This week, take time to review your life story. Write down the moments when you felt most fulfilled, effective, and alive. Look for patterns—repeated themes, talents, or passions that have followed you for years. Then ask the Lord to show you how those patterns reveal your purpose. Remember: you’re not starting from scratch—you’re uncovering what God already finished.