Finding Next

This is an excerpt from the chapter entitled "You Should":

God’s plan and purpose for our lives didn’t begin when we were born. In fact, Ephesians 1:4 (KJV) says, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.”

Before we entered the womb, before the foundation of the world, we had a destiny, a place in God’s plan. We have a specific purpose and fit in time, relationships and geography here on Earth. In addition, there is a specific blueprint for each of us that contains our talents, gifts, and personality traits, as well as a description of the way they tie into our purpose on Earth. We will never understand the blueprint without being in a relationship with God, without communicating with the architect.

The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, specifically the truth about who we are and what God’s purpose is for us. The Holy Spirit, as we allow Him, unfolds pieces of the blueprint over time as God directs. Without access to the blueprint, we as human beings can’t begin to correctly identify God’s purpose for our lives.

In his book “Turn the World Upside Down,” Dr. Michael Maiden uses the concept of the “Seven Mountains of Influence” to explain this concept. In the chapter entitled “What is Your Mountain?” he explains finding your place and purpose in God as follows:

The mountain of influence to which you are called is the place where you will find the job you love, financial success, people you enjoy being with, and ultimate personal fulfillment. Your position in your mountain, the one that God has prepared for you and the one for which you have been prepared, is your “sweet spot,” your perfect fit. Not only is it God’s place where you can most effectively bring to bear His presence and power to affect an area of your culture, but it is also your place. If you were a key, the position God called you to would be a lock in which you fit perfectly—the lock on the door of your destiny. (Maiden M. , 2011)

In “Turn the World Upside Down,” Dr. Maiden says, “Every born-again person is called to a place of influence in at least one of the seven mountains of culture.” (Maiden M. , 2011) Dr. Maiden’s seven mountains of influence are Family, Church, Business, Government, Education, Arts/Entertainment, and Media. I think these categories can be helpful to a person who is searching for their “place.” In his book, Dr. Maiden challenges the reader to “Consider What Life Would Be Like if You Found Your Perfect Place.” Then he adds:

Finding your perfect place does not mean that your life will be perfect, free of problems and stress, or that you will never do anything else. Rather, it means that you have discovered the great adventure for which you were created. Allow God to put within you a burning desire to know your place in the seven mountains of influence and to reach it… (Maiden M. , 2011).

In our search for our place or “mountain,” as Dr. Maiden describes it, we have to come to grips with the fact that some of our dreams may not be His dreams for us. Yes, it is true that often the dream that won’t go away is God’s homing beacon, His lighthouse within you, trying to direct you safely to the shore of His purpose. However, it is also true that some of our dreams have little or nothing to do with what God created us to do.