“I have a dream…!" This famous line from Martin Luther King Jr. did not resonate with me as a child. Now, as an adult, I have many dreams. My dreams continually change based on my season of life. Sometimes I would become confused about a particular dream, whether I should pursue it or if it was one I should release from myself. Have you ever felt like this? Lost. Confused. Worried. You're not alone, sister. We have all felt this way. When it comes to finding our path in life, there is no one way. The path ahead of us can feel like a maze, an incredibly frustrating and long maze!

Growing up, I would write down lists upon lists of my hopes, wants, and dreams. Then, as I matured, I would question those dreams and ask myself, "Is this dream from God, or am I just wishing it because so and so accomplished it?" But, it wasn't until my thirties that I was forced to sit down and really dive deep into my dreams and reflect on how those dreams tied to my identity in Christ. You betcha! This time of reflection occurred during my postpartum depression and anxiety, and yes, the world was also shut down for the pandemic. So, in good old fashioned Paula-Sue can't sit still, I signed myself up for a Biblically Based Women's Business Retreat where I had to write down why I wanted this dream, what my purpose and goals were and how that could impact others around me.

Remember, this was a difficult time in my life. It was a struggle just to get up in the morning, and now I had to write down goals to help others?!! Goals to achieve?!! What in the world! I sat quietly, dying on the inside as I watched woman after woman click with their purpose. I was excited for them, but I also felt devastated. It seemed that I had wasted our family's money for this retreat only to feel even worse off than before I arrived. As always, God worked miraculously and had me sit down with one woman, and she just asked me questions. How was I doing? What have I enjoyed so far? Etc. Through her caring and loving conversation with me, I realized I wanted to empower and encourage women, specifically moms, to walk fully in their God-given purpose.

Wow! One conversation led to the discovery of my purpose! One friend helped me define my identity as a Christian mom, wife, and friend. 

We all want to feel like we are living out our purpose, our divine design, but sometimes we cloud our identity with what the world says or shows us we should be. God created us in His image, and to fully see, feel and know that we are walking in our divine purpose will take time. Personally, I'm not a naturally patient person, so I felt anguish as I waited years to lock down my purpose.  

But here are three scriptures to help you root your identity solely in Christ. Once you understand where your true identity lies, you will begin to realize your dreams and purpose more fully. 

Be Committed to Your Faith

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Being a Christian isn't easy…

The path won't be a smooth one…

There won't always be a clear picture of what to do next…

But the number one way to understand your identity and to root yourself in your purpose is to be unequivocally committed to your faith and to put it into action. Everything you do as a believer stands under the sign of Christ's resurrection, which means all your efforts are given great worth and meaning. If you affirm and hold fast to your faith, you will be given the confidence to live out your purpose in a way that shows that your hope is not in vain. 

Be Patient to Receive Your Blessings

Colossians 2:6-7 ESV “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

If you are going to talk the talk, then walk the walk… no matter how long it takes. Sometimes a dream is placed on your heart by God; He keeps talking to you about it and bringing it back to the forefront of your thoughts, but you feel like you're getting no traction. Well, sister, keep following that dream. But let me give you some advice I was given.

Follow that dream with Christ as your goal, for all God's fullness is found in him. Sink your roots deeply into Christ, and remain faithful in your commitment to him as Lord. As a result, you will have the discernment to test your dream and prepare accordingly for your purpose. Remember, the key ingredient is to believe that what God has planned for you, he will also bring to pass! God wants us to believe in Him so He can reveal the path. We need to surrender our timeline to Him in return. You can't assume it'll happen quickly. It may take 6 months, 6 years, or 60+ years to fully walk in what God has called for you. But once you are, sis, it'll be worth the wait.

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Be Open to the Path You've Been Assigned 

Ephesians 3:16-19 ESV “...that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

What you've planned for may be different than what you receive. That is absolutely ok! The dream was placed in your heart for a reason. Your purpose was handpicked by God. And his power, through the indwelling presence of the Spirit, will give you the strength and boldness to fulfill it. Remember, to know Christ's love is to become increasingly aware of its great depths. His passion led him to give his life for us so we could become God's beloved daughters. For this reason, be grateful for the opportunity to walk in your divine design. 

Summary

I say all of this to encourage you to keep going. Do not be discouraged if your purpose hasn’t yet been fully revealed. Of course, you will hit moments and even seasons of doubt, but remember to be patient, committed, and surrender your timeline and plans to the Lord, for what He has planned is far greater than you can ever imagine.

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