Understanding Your Purpose

By Raymond Aisabor

Purpose is the reason for which you are created; it’s the reason for your existence. God has a unique purpose for each of us. Just as our fingerprints are different and exclusive to us, so is God’s plan and purpose different for each of us. In Understanding Your Purpose, author Raymond Aisabor offers a blueprint for discovering and living out your life’s purpose.

Aisabor provides practical insights and examples to help you self-reflect on what God’s plan for you is. He incorporates spiritual applications using Bible verses complemented with real-life examples of people who have pursued purpose. Understanding Your Purpose addresses the key facets of finding purpose, including clarifying the definition of purpose and discussing the obstacles to achieving your purpose, while explaining how wisdom and the mind play a part in discerning purpose.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jan 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483422596

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Aisabor

Copyright © 2014 Raymond Aisabor.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2258-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2259-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014921360

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 12/23/2014

CONTENTS

Introduction

Part I: Understanding your Purpose

Chapter 1 The Real Meaning of Purpose

Chapter 2 Understanding your Purpose

Chapter 3 Fundamentals of Finding Purpose

Chapter 4 Purpose and Vision

Part II: Delivery of your Purpose

Chapter 5 How do you find your Purpose?

Chapter 6 Purpose is Timed and for a Season

Chapter 7 Growing Up

Part III: Place of the Mind

Chapter 8 The place of the mind in understanding purpose

Chapter 9 Functions of the Mind

Chapter 10 Steps to Enhance your Minds

Chapter 11 Benefits you can Derive from Finding your Purpose

Part IV: Inspiration and its Power

Chapter 12 Obstacles to a Life of Purpose

Chapter 13 Inspiration is the Key

Chapter 14 Wisdom Is Essential

Chapter 15 Manifestations of Wisdom

Part V: Hard Work

Chapter 16 Walk the Work

Chapter 17 Overview

Acknowledgement

We Care About You

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DEDICATION

To the loving and evergreen memory of my mum Christiana Aisabor,

For her dedication and love, ensuring we had the right focus and discipline growing up as kids. No one compares to you mum- your memory still lives on in me.

Introduction

This book is dedicated to all the young stars, those men and women around the world grappling with the torments of life without a true sense of satisfaction and purpose, as they wake up and walk or drive daily to their place of work. Until they have the opportunity to sit back and probe their minds, until they find and understand their purpose – that is, the God-given purpose for their lives – satisfaction and peace of mind will continue to elude them.

It is imperative to say here that a lot has been written about this topical issue around the world by renowned ministers of God, both locally and internationally, as well as by motivational speakers and bestselling authors and intellectuals. I value the volume of intellect and hard work that has been put into this subject and acknowledge their various contributions.

One thing is for certain: We all accept the one universal truism that the pursuit of a purpose and an understanding of your purpose can only be revealed to you by God – the creator of your life – and only if you go to him in bold and expectant prayers and ask Him for help wholeheartedly.

Purpose can be profound in your innate talent or creative gift inside of you. It can be found in your professional careers, if you consult your spiritual advisers and even through your career guidance counsellor. But the truth is, the revelation of purpose is founded on your obedience to the laws and commandments of God, honouring him by your deeds and the degree to which you follow His precepts.

However, I believe none of these authors has satisfactorily been able to focus on the core perspective of the issue of the pursuit of purpose and unravelled a proper understanding of the manifestation of purpose and what to make of the benefits of the successes and achievement that accrue to one by reason of such a discovery – this is where I differ in opinion. I intend in this book to push the boundaries and take it a step further.

In summation, I believe that the commonality of all the intentions of writers, authors and intellectuals is to guide, encourage, motivate, inspire and educate our generation in the convergence of different ideas and ideals to the same readership.

As you journey through the tapestry of life from when you start counting and recognising your alphabets right through nursery school and elementary, high school and right up to the tertiary institution from which you launch into this world to fend for yourself and earn a living, each of us seeks a purpose. Whether you live by holding a position in an organisation or private enterprise, or make your way through other forms of ingenuity of your own acumen, or engage in creative works or some form of partnership with others, whether family, friends, schoolmates or associates, each of us must find a way to derive financial gain in order to meet our daily personal expectations. To find this purpose, you must overcome the sum total of your fears as you strive to uplift your standard of living in your journey here on earth.

One thing is certain; in-so-far as you are in this world; we all are in it together. The one thing that matters most, that must become profound in your life, you must take care of not only yourself in an altruistic sense according to the law of self-preservation, but you must give back to the society that creates the enabling environment that makes it possible for you as an individual – no matter your present position in life –to be able to profit and attain your set ambitions These are sure to include the pursuit of freedom and the chance to earn a decent living, and for the lucky ones amongst us, acquire wealth and above all achieve happiness. These goals are all paramount to our self-valuation of having achieved a purposeful life.

In the same vein, while you are basking in the euphoria of having found your purpose, you must not also lose sight of the fact that there are countries all over the world and even in this country of ours Nigeria where the pursuit of freedom and happiness in whatever form is marred by the war on terrorism. Yet for the vast majority of our society, peace reigns and so is our purpose achieved.

Therefore, as individuals, one way purpose can be achieved is thus – having achieved your individualistic pursuit (finding purpose and being a success as a result) it behoves you as a moral imperative that you must by all means also take care of the less fortunate ones in the society, contributing your own quota in doing little things here and there to make your immediate environment better. In the end, an accumulation of these efforts will make the world a better place. After all, happiness is derived from providing for others other than oneself, ensuring that such a person(s) not necessarily related by blood to you or community is also able to attain his or her specific goal in life. If you understand this, you would have found the true purpose. This is my own perspective on this discourse.

When you attain such status completely devolved of self, by helping others you will have aligned yourself to the law of Nature (God’s laws), thereby finding purpose. Being in this state attracts certain uncanny blessing, the hand of grace, through which benevolence will flow naturally into your pursuits. By virtue of reciprocity, life becomes less stressful and success begins to follow into your own endeavours with little or no effort from your personal efforts.

The law of God will take over your affairs. This way, you are able to attain unquantifiable joy without the pressure of how much work you have put into the business, which is the very essence of a person’s means of livelihood.

Having satisfactorily found purpose, you have discovered yourself, which in turn transcends the uncertainty of a life of despair over and above your own sense of purpose. Having found purpose, set goals and assignments of your life become easily accomplished, notwithstanding the occasional distraction and loss of belief in yourself, which are intrinsically part of human life. You who have found purpose will continue to persevere despite these ups and downs sometimes in your life until you get to your final destination.

PART 1

UNDERSTANDING YOUR PURPOSE

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CHAPTER 1

The Real Meaning of Purpose

"Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it’s

the lords purpose that prevails-proverbs 19:21

Purpose is the reason for which you are created; it is the reason for your existence. God has a unique purpose for each and every one of us. He has a blueprint, a plan that is exclusive to each person. Just as our fingerprints is different and exclusive to us, so also is God’s plan and purpose different for each of us.

Remember that there are above 7 billion people on planet earth today and no two people have the same DNA.

According to the bible ‘he knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb’ and that we are inscribed on the palms of his hands. You are an original specimen of God created in His own image and likeness… that is what the bible teaches us.

God knows everything about you, right down to the number of the hairs on your head. He has brought you into this world for a reason and that reason is your purpose for being on earth.

It is God’s wish for us to work in His purpose for which we are created because it is only then that we can find true meaning in life.

We are all chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who worked out everything in conformity, with the purpose of his will… Ephesians 1:11

This means you were born by His purpose and for His purpose

Unfortunately, the majority of us do not realise what our purpose is, let alone begin to work in that purpose. Clearly, the need to know one’s purpose has puzzled very many people.

This is because as human beings our search for our purpose in life always has a selfish motive behind it – what would I like to be in life? How do I want to see myself succeed? But seeking for your true purpose in conformity with God’s plans requires taking the attention away from yourself and looking to God for his purpose for you.

Have you ever had cause to ask yourself this hypothetical question: Why was I born? Why am I here? Where is this path that I am presently on leading me to? How can I glorify God in my situation and circumstance? What would God have me do here? These should be the questions in your hearts if you want to walk in God’s true purpose for your life.

Seeking your purpose starts with God:

"For everything absolutely everything above and below, visible and invisible everything got started in him and finds his purpose in him…’’ Colossians 1:16.

This means that your purpose in life is not about what you want for yourself but it is about what God will have you do with your life for Him to glorify Him here on earth.

In our world today, a great many people more often than not juxtapose purpose and success as meaning one and the same thing; they are both measured and determined by material wealth and societal acceptance.

We have confused success with fulfilment, accomplishment with satisfaction and achievement with peace of mind.

This anachronism is far from being true.

Success in our culture requires becoming what everyone else expects you to be neither is success the accumulation, possession and achievement you’ve had.

Real success can only be truly defined by purpose and the measurement of your obedience of Gods purpose in your life.

Purpose is the very foundation and key to success, it is the only true source of fulfilment and the only accurate measurement of life. Therefore, success cannot be determined by the opinion of others about your actions, but by the satisfaction of the One who gave you the assignment.

Purpose doesn’t have to be doing a good thing, but it must of necessary peculiarity means doing the right thing.

Finding your purpose protects you from doing good at the expense of doing right I am here to tell you right away that being successful in acquiring material wealth and fulfilling purpose are not the same, true success is succeeding in the areas of your assignment that God has given you and working in your purpose.

Living a life of purpose is the difference between being busy and being effective

Rick Warren said "Nothing matters more than knowing God purpose for your life and nothing can compensate for not knowing then- not success, wealth, fame, or pleasure. Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction and events without reason. Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty and pointless’’.

Many of us have abandoned Gods purpose and living according to our own pursuit.

We need to stop thinking about ourselves, your situation and look onto the One who formed us. The one who gave us life can be trusted with the issue of your life.

Nothing happens with God by accident, if you are truly his and you truly believe in him who created you and then you know that it is in him that you live, you move and you have your being. Therefore, it is only in him that you can discover yourself, your purpose and fulfil your destiny.

With this Knowledge, you need to surrender to him, who knows all things and ask him to reveal your purpose to you, because until then every achievement, every path and every experience that you have earn amount to a waste and pails to insignificance if it is not ordained by God or used to his glory.

Remember that you were not an accident and there is no mistake with God whatever he may have allowed in your life, He has allowed for his own glory, sometimes he allows some things to happen to us so that he may be glorified in our lives.

Simply put therefore Purpose:

… The original intent for the creation of a thing,

….The original reason for the existence of a thing.

….The original desire for the creation of a design by the manufacture.

Therefore, it is essential that you find and understand and discover your purpose in life so that you can experience an effective, fulfilling and rewarding life.

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CHAPTER 2

Understanding your Purpose

Mrs. Carolina Thomas graduated high school with flying colors and proceeded to gain admission to study accountancy in a first generation Nigerian university. She then graduated top in her class, marking first class and even added a master’s in business administration to her academic qualifications. As soon as she finished her master’s degree program (MBA) from same university a very lucrative bank executive job was offered. Oh, I didn’t tell you she was also married to a well-to-do businessman and they had three lovely kids.

Now, ten years later, she had risen through the ranks and become head of one of the important department of her bank.

Without qualms she decided on one fine morning to quit her job. Why, we may ask, would such a woman give up her job? In our society jobs are not easy to come by, especially in a leading bank of the type where she was employed in for ten years.

There was no special reason for her exit from the banking industry, except that she said she wasn’t feeling fulfilled and satisfied anymore. She did resign eventually and decided to open a beauty salon to do women’s hair and sell women’s hair products and perfume and other women’s accessories as well.

Another instance I once read was the case of a Brazilian who went to medical school and became a medical doctor and after a few years of practicing medicine, he resigned