Understanding Your Purpose by Modeling Jesus

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Toward the end of the day, the twelve apostles came to Him. They said to Him, “Send the crowd to the closest villages and farms so that they can find some food and a place to stay. – Luke 9:12 (GW)

Years ago, as a newlywed, I quickly realized that cooking for someone other than myself was overwhelming, and that I was not a very good cook.

My husband, on the other hand, loves to cook and is a natural. He joyfully gathers ingredients, chops, mixes, and serves with ease and grace.

As our family grew, I became the main cook, so I slowly learned to embrace it. I never completely mastered the craft, no matter how many times I practiced, but I managed to get the job done.

We were all fed, and we connected at the kitchen table.

My skills didn’t change much, but my understanding of what my purpose was did, which shifted my attitude.

Preparing meals and eating together brought our family closer and allowed me to serve them and demonstrate love.

Meaningful conversations, laughter, and life lessons were shared over bowls of decent spaghetti and chicken.

While reading the story of Jesus and his disciples feeding the 5,000, I realized that if I had been one of the disciples, my response would have been the same as theirs in Luke 9:12.

Toward the end of the day, the twelve apostles came to him. They said to him, “Send the crowd to the closest villages and farms so that they can find some food and a place to stay.

But Jesus had a different plan. He understood that by feeding the crowd, He could love and serve His followers, teach the disciples a valuable lesson, and keep everyone near Him to continue teaching.

He knew His ‘why’ and hoped to illuminate His purpose to the disciples and change their ‘why’.

Understanding Your Purpose

Understanding your purpose can be confusing and takes time and intentionality.

Here are three ways to evaluate your purpose before you take action.

Ask Yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’

Understanding your purpose helps you know why you do what you do.

Jesus had a purpose when He walked this earth: to heal and teach about the Kingdom of God.

When the disciples didn’t want to be bothered with feeding the crowds, Jesus was determined because feeding them was just part of His mission. The main goal was to love people and lead them to follow Him.

It can be tempting to jump into things without understanding your purpose. Pausing to ask ourselves why we are doing something may change our direction, keep us from participating, and make unpleasant jobs more enjoyable.

Pray about Your Purpose

After finding five loaves and two fish, Jesus prayed over them and asked God to bless them.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and blessed the food. He broke the loaves apart and kept giving them to the disciples to give to the crowd. (Luke 9:16)

While preparing meals for my family, I often ask God to bless my efforts and help me shine His light throughout the process.

Even through uncomfortable situations and assignments, prayer and God’s presence change our hearts, the atmosphere, and the outcome.

Make a Plan

Jesus had a plan because He understood His purpose. He instructed the disciples to have the people break up into smaller groups.

Then He told his disciples, “Have them sit in groups of about fifty. (Luke 9:14, GW)

Then He broke the bread and fish and had his disciples distribute them. The result was an abundance of food; everyone was fed, and there were leftovers.

All of them ate as much as they wanted. When they picked up the leftover pieces, they filled twelve baskets. (Luke 9:17, GW)

Having a plan to accomplish a goal, especially a difficult one, brings clarity, peace, and motivation to get started.

Understanding your purpose changes your attitude, opens your heart to experience gratitude and joy, and makes an impact.