Monday Memo 1255: When Purpose Reveals Who You Are

One of the realities of purpose is that it not only reveals what you’re called to do, but it also exposes who you are while you’re doing it. Purpose has a way of bringing our strengths, weaknesses, tendencies, and personalities into clear view. That’s certainly true in Paul’s story.

In Acts 13, after Paul and Barnabas had begun their missionary work, John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. Scripture doesn’t give all the reasons why he left. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the travel, frightened by the opposition, uncomfortable with the uncertainty, or simply unprepared for the difficulty of the journey. Since he was Barnabas’ cousin, some believe he was offended when the team leadership shifted to Paul and away from his relative. Whatever the reason, Paul clearly viewed the departure seriously because later, when Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on another trip, Paul strongly disagreed.

That disagreement became so sharp that Paul and Barnabas separated over it. Imagine, the Spirit had put them together but now a disagreement over who was part of the team separated them. Amazing!

Many people are surprised by that story because they expect mature believers to handle every disagreement calmly and perfectly. Yet the Bible presents people honestly, including their personalities and struggles. Paul was deeply committed, focused, disciplined, and intense. Those qualities made him effective in purpose, but they also affected how he responded to disappointment. When John Mark left, Paul wasn’t ready to give him another opportunity.

There’s an important lesson in that. God uses our personalities. He doesn’t erase our individuality when we come to Christ. He transforms us, sanctifies us, and removes sinful patterns, but He still works through the way He created us. Paul remained strong-willed after his conversion. Peter remained bold and impulsive. Barnabas remained encouraging and relational. Their personalities didn’t disappear; they were redirected and matured.

We sometimes imagine spiritual growth means becoming someone entirely different, but that’s not how God usually works. He takes the raw material He created and develops it for His purposes. You’re fearfully and wonderfully made not only physically, but internally as well. Your temperament, wiring, perspective, strengths, and tendencies are all part of how God designed you.

That doesn’t mean every aspect of our personality should remain unchanged. Pride, selfishness, fear, insecurity, anger, and other sinful attitudes must be confronted and surrendered to God. Yet there’s a difference between sinful behavior and God-given personality. Some people spend years frustrated because they’re trying to become someone they were never designed to be.

Paul wasn’t Barnabas, and Barnabas wasn’t Paul. Barnabas saw potential in John Mark and wanted to encourage him forward. Paul saw the demands of the assignment and didn’t want to risk another desertion. Neither perspective was completely irrational. They simply reflected different priorities and personalities.

I’ve had to learn that lesson myself. There were times I compared myself to other speakers, leaders, pastors, or writers and thought I needed to sound more like them, act more like them, or lead more like them. Eventually I realized that God didn’t call me to imitate someone else’s personality. He called me to faithfully develop the gifts and makeup He had already given me.

The encouraging part of the story is that God still worked through both men. Barnabas took John Mark and continued ministering. Paul took Silas and continued his work as well. The disagreement was painful, but it didn’t stop the overall purpose of God from moving forward.

Even more encouraging is what happened later. Paul eventually changed his perspective regarding John Mark. Near the end of his life, Paul wrote that Mark was “helpful to me in my ministry.” That tells us something important. Growth continued. Time, maturity, and experience softened Paul’s earlier position.

Perhaps you’re frustrated with yourself because you’re not like someone else. Or perhaps you’re frustrated with someone whose personality differs from yours. Paul’s story reminds us that God uses different kinds of people in different ways. The goal isn’t sameness. The goal is surrender and growth.

God can use your personality, your strengths, your experiences, and even your intense tendencies once they’re submitted to Him. He’s not trying to turn you into someone else. He’s shaping you into the best version of who He created you to be. And if you are God enough for God, shouldn’t you be good enough for yourself?

Your Turn

What aspects of your personality have helped you pursue your purpose effectively? Are there areas where you need growth and refinement without rejecting the person God created you to be?

What Would Paul Ask You?

Are you trying to become someone else instead of faithfully developing who God created you to be?

Purpose Moment

Thank God for the unique way He created you. Ask Him to refine your weaknesses, strengthen your gifts, and help you grow without losing the individuality He designed into your life. In other words, learn to be comfortable with who you are—and who you’re not!