We talk a lot about purpose like it’s some hidden treasure buried deep in a forest. I don't know about you, but I act like God is out there dangling clues just out of reach, waiting until I'm finally “enough” to figure it out.
But here’s what I’ve learned on this ragamuffin road of mine. The perfect moment does not exist, but today does. And tomorrow. And the day after that.
Life doesn’t pause for us to catch our breath, let alone gather every piece of courage we wish we had. The days roll on, whether we feel ready or not.
This has me asking a powerful question.
Will you show up for your own wild and precious story? Will you stop waiting? Stop waiting for the perfect day, the pain to ease, the fear to shrink, or the shame to quiet before you take the next step toward the calling God has whispered over your life?
No, He’s not hiding that calling from you.
Your first and fiercest purpose will always be to know Him deeply and love others generously. Everything else grows from there, one tiny, trembling yes at a time.
Purpose Looks Like Real Life
I used to think purpose would be as clear as a gift wrapped in a shiny bag containing certainty, strength, and maybe even be accompanied by an echoing announcement from heaven. But my callings have always shown up in the middle of real life; chronic pain days, fatigue that knocks me flat, fears that sit heavy on my chest, the echoes of an abusive childhood, all trying to convince me I’m not enough.
Purpose has come to me while I'm writing another homeschool lesson with aching joints, sending the hard email with tears in my eyes, stepping onto a stage shaking so badly I could barely breathe.
Purpose has even come to me when I'm letting God peel back shame I’ve carried for decades, releasing dreams to Him that I thought were too broken to offer, or starting the thing I was sure I would fail at.
I've even seen my purpose after clinging to the mountain’s edge while friends prayed me down, or loving people with a heart that felt cracked but willing.
And here’s the part we don’t like to admit. You will probably have to do it scared.
Start the business scared.
Submit the book proposal scared.
Walk into a crowded room scared.
Repair the relationship scared.
Invite the neighbor scared.
Say yes to God while your knees are shaking and your pits are sweating.
Courage isn’t the absence of fear, rather it’s obedience soaked in trust.
The Holy Strength of Doing It Scared
One of the strangest graces of this journey is that God doesn’t wait for our bravery to catch up. He meets us right in the trembling. He takes our shaking hands and says, “Come on, daughter. We’re doing this together.”
That’s where the holy strength is.
Not in perfection.
Not in waiting for the “right moment.”
But in the doing even in messy, scared, heart-pounding obedience.
Honestly?
If you feel like you might puke…
you’re probably standing in the doorway of something sacred.
Reflections Along Your Journey
Take a moment. Breathe. Let these questions settle deep and speak to the places in you that long for purpose, courage, and clarity.
1. Where in my life am I waiting for the “perfect moment” instead of taking the next faithful step? What fear, pain, or hesitation is convincing me I need to be more ready than I am?
2. What small, trembling “yes” might God be inviting me to offer right now? Not the whole mountain, just the next step on the trail.
3. What is one practical, honest step I can take this week toward the thing I keep putting off? Not when I feel brave. Not when I feel ready. But now.
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