I believe that people have an innate desire within them to leave a deep and lasting impact on the world. There is a deep longing to be great not merely for fame but rather to be able to leave a mark and create change. The desire is to demonstrate that your life has meaning and purpose. While those longings are healthy and good, I’ve watched myself also begin to limit myself as a result.
I’ve fallen under the belief that these longings to have a life of influence, meaning, and purpose can only be met when I figure out my true calling in life. As a result of this belief, I have found myself stuck, afraid to move forward for fear of missing out on what will actually bring me fulfillment and/or being stuck in one lane when I’m passionate about so many other things.
My problem has been that I have attached my identity to my future destiny. I’ve unconsciously began to believe that in order to make a deep and lasting impact on the world, I have to find my perfect fit, and if I fail to discover my true calling then I will miss out on the opportunity to live a life inspired – full of vibrancy and purpose. I’ll end up in a second class destiny, plagued with the thoughts of “what-if” and left to pursue tasks that leave me wanting more. But, you see there are quite a few flaws with this type of thinking.
The first flaw is that I get to choose whether or not I was created to serve myself or if I was created to serve a much larger purpose. There is a bit of irony in my thinking because while I’m longing to leave a great mark on the world and inspire change, I only want to do it because of the feelings of purpose it will deposit inside of me. The reality is that as my identity becomes grounded in the Truth and knowledge that I am LOVED, then my desire to have a life full of vibrant purpose is actually finally possible because I know longer have to pay homage to and worship my self-god. I get to by-pass myself completely and give myself wholeheartedly to Truth, and as a result I will create a world in which inspiration thrives and significance is attained through Love. And from that place, anything I do and/or say will bring life to those around me as well as to myself.
The second flaw with my old way of thinking is that I have attempted to attach my identity to my calling when in reality it should be the opposite. My calling and the passions I have in life should be an off-shoot of my identity. When this happens, there is no FEAR of missing out because every opportunity to pursue my passions can be seen through the lens of anticipation and embraced as an adventure. It frees me from the need for perfectionism and the fear of missing out on greatness. Being grounded in my identity allows me to fall flat on my face, get back up, and run harder and faster than I ever have before after the passions that have been placed in my heart. It allows me to walk in the fullness and awesomeness of being THE LILY in a way that causes me to embrace my creative potential and unleash the imagination of my spirit to inspire and bring freedom to those around me. This shift in mindset brings with it hope and creativity. It does not leave me trapped in a prison quietly waiting for the perfect opportunity to come unlock my destiny. No, this new mindset sings of freedom, hope and joy. It is laced in love, and it is given by the One who gives GOOD gifts. And, it is my desire to receive all that is to be received from this perspective, then bypass myself, and give abundantly of the fruit of this freedom to all who come my way. And, I’m not going to stop until I am rooted completely in Love. It’s time to take adventures, pursue passions, and give freedom to the world. It’s a season of HOPE!
Embracing Adventure,
– The Lily
Jeremiah 29:11
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”
I AM THE LILY 