My Focus on Purpose

by Mbah Chukwuemeka

Growing up, like any other person who has the ability to do more than one thing very well, I was confused as to where to focus my energy, to actualize life’s purpose. The confusion doubled when different role models inspired different areas of my inherent gifts. However, I knew within me that I wasn’t called to do everything nor to do just anything. There must be some specifics in my wiring which ought to connect me to my God pre-planned essence, and I also believed when maximized would create a platform that would give expression to every other gift.

Though Paul in his letters to the early church, claimed to be all things to all men, but we know by the study of his life, that his primary purpose was to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Other activities were complementary to that core purpose. So here I am, trained as a lawyer, practising as a corporate commercial solicitor, with a passion for sharing my faith, human capacity development, public speaking, writing, various genres of arts and stage performance. With all these divergent skills, one thing is clear- purpose is the common denominator that can unite them all. In purpose is the singular platform wherein we can give expression to all our talents and God given abilities. This is why it’s important to find purpose. It seems that once we find our purpose, the job is half done.

While I can’t categorically tell you that this is the exact purpose for my sojourn on earth, I know it’s not disconnected from my natural gifting and acquired skills. More importantly, I have learnt convincingly what my purpose is not. I have also learnt that all those abilities can be channelled in one area and become mutually inclusive, but first, I must develop each to its fullest capacity one at a time before branching out to integrate others.

From my study of Rev 4:11, I discovered the hallmark of my existence is to give Him pleasure. Thus it became easy to streamline my cravings and aspirations to only those things that will give him pleasure (i.e. activities that expressly glorify God and directly edify [impact]men positively).

On further study, I found out that God leads us into purpose if we genuinely seek it. Hence the scriptures, “whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your heart,” and “ He that seeketh findeth.” It dawned on me that my hand must first set out to find what to do. That means that regardless of where I am working/studying today, my purpose has been divinely orchestrated in them just like Joseph and Jacob in the Bible. If I do what I have to do and more, with all my heart (excellently), I’ll be exposed to the aspects and fragments of my purpose connected therein till the map becomes very obvious.

For instance, I don’t think that any of us while in nursery school thought of doing what we are doing today, but as we progressed faithfully from one challenge to another, it became clearer what it could be and what evidently it is not, and same applies to the unfolding of purpose. You don’t sit at a place waiting to hear some voice in order to discover it, in most cases it finds you as you keep busy in the followership of your divinely inspired instincts.

Thus as I grow through the ranks in my career and my interests narrow, it becomes clearer to me that the generic purpose of being a Priest (spiritual) and King (secular) to God means to be on top of my game in my chosen career path and fervent in my faith walk with God.

Therefore, through developed natural skills, and skills acquired through formal and informal training, I follow the compass of my heavenly inspired instincts. That is to say, while I’m specializing in an aspect of my profession, I have my book on Amazon, consult for a leading FMCG, and share my faith with people in my small network. In the process, some passions became core, while others became hobbies but together I use them in the chase of actualizing my ever evolving purpose.

Purpose finds those who firmly focus on purpose.