Feeling Lost? Trust God to Lead You To Your Purpose

Waking up feeling purposeless every day can be incredibly frustrating; mentally and physically. Seeing your circle of friends and coworkers living passionate, engaged, meaningful lives can be triggering. They have deep relationships, rewarding jobs and a sense of direction that drives them to get out of bed each morning with a purpose to fulfill, which can cause you to feel lacking.

It may feel like time is literally passing you by as the goals you once had as a child are yet to be fulfilled and it feels like you have wasted your life. I do believe experiences, whether good or bad, shape who we become but sometimes we hold on too firmly to what we consider to be our ideal self and not what God desires for us.

We are reminded in Jeremiah 1:5 that Christ knew us before we were formed in the womb, before we were born He set us apart. He knows what is best for us.

I grew up wanting to be a family lawyer or a mathematician but neither gave me drive like when I assisted someone who had a social problem. Let me explain…I remember one of my earliest camping experiences—around age seven—and I met a young girl who was now residing in a children’s home because she was badly burnt by her mother and it hurt me to the core.

There and then I decided I wanted to help children when I became an adult. Fast forward to my final year in high school and we were taking pictures for our school magazine. For my career path, I put Social Worker. I had not read up on who a Social Worker was; if the degree was offered in Jamaica or its duration.

My mother, possibly thinking that I wanted to follow in her footsteps as a teacher, encouraged me to apply for teacher's college—might I add that the majority of my friends would be going but I was not led in that area. She further suggested becoming a nurse and like her, the scent of medical facilities and the sight of needles were a big turn off. That was a BIG NO!

By this, summer was rapidly coming to an end and by God’s divine intervention my mother would receive a call from a friend of hers and he would tell her about a school that he was attending—Jamaica Theological Seminary—and they offered the course, Bachelors of Social Work.

By the time I got this information, the deadline and the late registration had passed. I still applied and two weeks later, I was living on campus, pursuing my BA in the helping profession.

No experience is wasted.

If you feel purposeless, ask God to give you wisdom and direction. James 1:5 states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

The primary way God speaks to us is through the Bible. This means that one of the first things we should do in our search for God’s purpose is to start digging into scripture. Now, you will not find any verses that tell you to become a teacher or counselor, but you will begin to understand the heart of God.

God has given us very specific gifts, passions and strengths. Maybe you are a great teacher or a stylist. Maybe you have a mind for business. God’s purpose for you involves the things you are already good at.

Ready to take the next step toward discovering your God-given purpose? Comment below if this spoke directly to your situation.

La-Toya Cameron Hill is a writer for noblemedianetwork.com, where she pens articles for Healing Today, our column dedicated to emotional healing personal transformation and overall wellness, led by trusted professionals in their field. A trauma survivor herself, she knows firsthand the struggle of feeling lost, disconnected, and burdened by the past.

Now, a Certified Life and Trauma Coach, La-Toya is dedicated to guiding others toward wholeness. She is the founder of Blooming in Freedom, a safe space designed to empower those held captive by their past. With a BA in Social Work, an MA in Counseling Psychology, and certifications in Personality Psychology, Human Behavior, and Trauma Coaching, she equips individuals to reclaim their purpose and embrace healing.