“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” — Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT)
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You’ve probably heard this phrase getting tossed around in sports lately: “They understood the assignment.” It’s usually said about an athlete who nailed their performance, or sometimes it’s used with a little sarcasm. Either way, it means someone showed up and delivered exactly what was needed.
When I was coaching high school basketball, I had a deep respect for the girls who were role players. They weren’t chasing stats or attention. They knew their job and they owned it. They showed up, did the little things, and stayed focused on the one or two responsibilities that helped the team succeed. And when you’ve got a whole squad full of players like that? Those are teams that do big things.
But here’s the deal: Understanding the assignment isn’t just a sports thing; it’s a Kingdom thing. Did you know that before you were even born, God had already given you a specific assignment in His Kingdom?
Your purpose is the assignment God sent you to earth to fulfill. And the best part? He’s already prepackaged you with the gifts, skills and grace to live it out. Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT) says, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” And Galatians 1:15-16 (NLT) says, “But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News …” That means your life isn’t random. You were created on purpose, with purpose.
God wrote your assignment into your spiritual DNA before you ever took your first breath. He’s already equipped you with the gifts, passions and experiences you need to walk it out. There are people only you can reach. There’s impact only you can make. That’s Kingdom purpose.
And here’s the good news: You don’t have to chase purpose — it’s already inside you. But if you want to fully understand your assignment, you’ve got to stay connected to the One who gave it. God’s not asking you to figure it all out on your own, He’s inviting you to walk with Him, step by step. Ephesians 2:10 is one of my favorite reminders of this truth: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Just like my players had to listen to their coach to understand their role, we’ve got to lean in and ask, “God, what do You want to do through me?” So dig into His Word. Spend time with the One who made you. Because when you start living with purpose, you stop asking, “What do I want?” and start asking, “God, what do You want to do through me?”
— Melissa Motes
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