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Are you actively trying to find your God-given purpose – but it seems like it’s eluding you? Could it be that your emotions are blocking your path? Learn about the 4 emotions that may be keeping you from finding your God-given purpose and how to effectively deal with them.
Emotions and Finding Your God Given Purpose
God gave you your emotions as a guide – they are meant to inform you about what’s wrong in your life and what needs to change so that you can make the necessary adjustments.
Unfortunately, many of us use our emotions as a trigger that can cause us heartache and pain and also render us useless to the Kingdom.
Think about it – when you’re sad and depressed it’s really difficult to focus on having faith with regard to your God-given purpose. You might feel as though you put more focus on the feeling than on God.
And since you don’t want to be ruled by your emotions – it’s important to identify those that keep you from hearing from God about your purpose and destiny. Here are only a few – but important – emotions to consider.
Fear
Fear is an emotion that takes it’s toll on not only your spirit, but also on your mind and body.
It keeps you paralyzed, stagnant and in constant state of worry.
Certainly, God did not design you for a life of fear and anxiety.
He created you for a life of boldness, service and purpose and that cannot be done with a heart of fear.
In order to find your God-given purpose you must first overcome fear, worry, and anxiety to increase your faith. And once you let go of fear and step on on faith, your life will begin to take shape.
In Matthew 14:28-31, we read about Peter walking on the water with Jesus. As he began to walk on the water – he let fear creep in and he began to sink. Jesus said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
The lesson that Jesus teaches here is that Faith is what conquers fear, worry and anxiety.
When you believe who God says He is and can do what He says He can do – FOR YOU – is when you’ll begin to experience God in a whole new way …In a way that will reveal His purpose for your life!
Conquering fear with faith in God will lead you to the place He has willed for you to be.
SHAME
Experiencing shame or guilt about your past keeps you looking backward and not forward – and you will never find your God-given purpose looking back.
A web search of the word “shame” yielded these definitions
1. A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior
2. A loss of respect or esteem; dishonor
3. A regrettable or unfortunate situation or action
Let’s face it…we’ve all done and said things we aren’t proud of and downright embarrassed about – and even after we’ve repented of our sins and asked God to forgive us – it can still be difficult to forgive ourselves.
Guilt and shame not only keep you looking back but they also keep you from being in an intimate relationship with God.
That kind of relationship makes it easier for you to receive God’s forgiveness so that you can see yourself as He sees you. And it turn, it enhances your ability to hear about finding your God-given purpose.
That’s why it’s so important to receive God’s forgiveness as well as forgiving yourself.
When it was found out that Moses had murdered the Egyptian, he fled to the Midian out of fear, guilt, and shame (Exodus 2:11 – 3:9). But once he encountered God – He was able to live out the plan God had for him.
Honor and esteem are the opposite of shame.
To rid yourself of shame – confess your sins and pursue righteousness (not perfection).
Proverbs 21:21
Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
SELF-PITY
Self-pity is defined as pity for one’s self, especially a self-indulgent attitude concerning one’s own difficulties, hardships, etc.
Essentially, it’s feeling sorry for yourself.
When I was struggling financially, I would find myself throwing a pity-party:
…Why are things always so hard for me?
…Why don’t other people have these problems?
…Things just never seem to work out for me.
…I work so hard and nothing seems to be happening.
When I was “all in my feelings” I could not hear from God about anything – especially not about finding my God-given purpose.
What I’ve learned is the more concerned you are about YOUR desires, circumstances or needs the less apt you are to hear the voice of God about His destiny for you.
You can become more preoccupied with yourself than with the things of God.
And let me be clear – it’s not that God doesn’t care about your hardships and difficulties in fact – He’s intimately involved in them.
It’s just that during those times He wants to be the strength in your weakness. He wants you to seek Him so that He can show you how this circumstance will eventually lead you to find your God-given purpose.
That’s why esteem and worth – the opposite of self-pity – are so important.
God holds you in high esteem and values you as in Psalm 139:14 – You are fearfully and wonderfully made – and that’s how you should begin to see yourself.
As your remind yourself of your worth and esteem – make they are anchored by humility.
Romans 12:3
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
DISAPPOINTMENT
Disappointment happens when we don’t get what we want and our expectations haven’t been met. Living in a constant state of disappointment will never move your toward finding your God-given purpose.
It is defined as the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations
When your life doesn’t pan out as you had planned it’s easy for disappointment to turn to anger or depression – neither of which leads you toward your God-given purpose.
It actually leads you away from your destiny. This is because, often you feel disappointed in God because you believe He has promised you one thing but it seems like you been given something completely different.
When my first business didn’t meet “MY” expectations – I was terribly disappointed and felt like a failure. I thought that I failed at what God wanted me to do with my gifts of helping and serving others.
What I didn’t realize was that “MY” expectations and God’s providence were on two different planets! What I saw as the end of something – He had only intended for it to be a catalyst!
That’s why learning to replace your dissatisfaction with joy, satisfaction and peace in your current circumstances, will undoubtedly lead you to a closer relationship with Him so that He can reveal your God-given purpose.
James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now that you’ve thought about what emotions that are holding you back from your God-given purpose, why not take some time to think about where God has you on your purpose journey by downloading the 5 Phases of Purpose Checklist!
I am always telling my girls- your emotions are lying to you! I wish I had an off button from mine!! one more reason it is so important to be rooted in the Bible.
Such good advice for your girls to learn now instead of later! Thanks for stopping by!
So true! I often say our feelings are liars. Yes, they serve a purpose, however, we cant let them lead or rule our life. Our brain and logic has a purpose too. I struggle most with fear, I think. Great post Neca! Many Thanks 8)
Amen, Debra! We don’t want to be led by our emotions – informed but not mastered them. Thanks for stopping by!