Purpose is Out – Identity is In
Updated: Jan 8, 2021
Purpose is one of those words that people have tossed around so much, especially in the business world. It’s hard to know exactly what it means. Is it this one foundational meaning of existence for the business that will drive sales and profit through the stratosphere?
Is it what my company is passionate about or what we’re really good at? Is it doing work that makes me happy as an entrepreneur? Does it mean I have to help others?
Let’s peel back the onion of purpose.
The purpose of a hammer is to stick this nail into that piece of wood. But this means nothing to the poor, beaten hammer unless he knows that he’s part of a bigger architectural plans to create this amazing home that a family will live in and create great memories.
If I focus on my business purpose (the service I offer), I miss my business identity (the reason my idea was born).
My business identity is what is given to me by my creator. I don’t come up with my identity. When I went to the DMV to pick up my identification card to give me permission to drive, this was issued to me by the state agency and the right was bestowed upon me to drive.
In the same way, identity is handed to me by authority. The best part is that there are no exams to find out if I can perform a 3-point turn (precisely why I failed my first driver’s test). My identity is free and God wants nothing more than for me to uncover, discover and recover it to be used in my business.
I am bigger than my business purpose. Therefore I must focus on my identity in Christ, and living in that space of rest knowing that as I align to the workmanship that God created me for, He will magnetically attract the exact clients that I’m destined to serve.
The bible says
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
Identity is about me doing not just meaningless or average things in my business, but good works, wonderful things that make a difference in the marketplace. This means that my business is important and significant. I matter. What more could I dream of?
When my business life gets tough, when deals fall apart, when employees upset me, when I can’t beat the work addiction, when my competitors talk behind my back, when I feel stuck in a boring routine, its important for me to come back to God’s love for me and the amazing purpose I have through my identity in Him.
I know what my purpose is: I help people find and bring to life their identity.
I know what my identity is: I’m grounded in God and I trust him to reveal to me the bigger picture and guide me to living out the wonderful masterpiece I was born to do.
What’s your born to do identity?