There Is Purpose In Your Circumstances

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. - Hebrews 13:16

A few years ago, I submitted a book proposal to be reviewed by a publisher. As I do with any major piece of writing, I sent the proposal to my dad for him to look over and make sure I didn’t miss any typos or mistakes. But when my dad texted me after reading the proposal, I wasn’t expecting him to respond the way he did. His response was so kind and so encouraging, so I wrote it down in my journal.

There’s one particular line in my dad’s response that hit home for me, so I want to share it with you today. He said:

“You have a true gift, and I think it is no coincidence that God is using that gift, along with the experiences in life that He is allowing you to go through, to help and encourage others.”

All my life I’ve been told that God gives each of us gifts and talents that we can use to further His Kingdom. And so for the longest time, I’ve had the desire for God to give me opportunities to use my gifts. That’s what we all want as followers of Christ, is it not? To utilize the unique talents we have to point other people to Jesus?

But one thing I hadn’t focused on, or frankly wanted, is the fact that God also wants to use your life experiences to help and encourage others. The struggles you face, the battles you go through, the rejection you endure, the grief you grapple with…all of those things can be used by God to help others who are walking through the same things.

I believe one of the gifts God has blessed me with is writing. But the more I think about it, it’s the experiences I write about, not the writing itself, that allows me to relate to other people, to let them know I understand what they’re going through, and to encourage them as they walk through the valleys of life. So if I don’t walk through my own valleys with anticipation of what God can teach me and how God can use my circumstances down the road, I’m missing out on the chance to do exactly what it is I want to do with my life: encourage other people to walk with Christ.

The same is true for you friend. Yes, God wants to use your gifts. But He also wants to use your experiences. There are seasons and circumstances He’s allowing you to walk through, not only for your own sake so that you might be made more like His Son, but also so you can relate to and encourage others who are walking, or who will one day walk, down a similar path.

So if you’re struggling to see the purpose behind what you’re going through right now, if you’re wondering why God is allowing something so hurtful, frustrating, and confusing to happen in your life, don’t lose hope. Don’t give into doubt. Instead, trust that God sees the whole parade when you only see the float passing by. Trust that He will use this experience, maybe in the next week, or maybe in the decade, but He will use it for His glory and for His Kingdom. And trust me, there’s no greater purpose or promise than that.