“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.” – Jeremiah 29:11.

“The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” – Proverbs 16:4

There are many instances in the Torah, and subsequent books of the Hebrew Bible, where we hear statements from the divine regarding purpose. Whether spoken through verse in Psalms or through the prophetic messages of Jeremiah or Isaiah, time and again, the divine speaks of the fact that we are not created by accident. We all were formed by the divine to serve a purpose in this world. When we are looking at purpose from a lens of spirituality, we tend to focus on ways that G-d uses us to improve the world around us. For me, the ultimate goal of my spiritual lifemapping journey is to solidify and refine my understanding of my purpose in this life and how I might use that purpose to glorify G-d.

I tend to view the discovery of our purpose as closely related to the idea of “what makes us tick”. Finding that thing that truly creates a spark within you can go a long way in helping you to make decisions that move you in a direction of true joy and fulfillment with your life. Long ago, I was able to name what it was that makes me “tick”. I love to create positive experiences for people. Whether it was creating the perfect wedding invitation for a bride or helping students learn a topic in history in a way that was engaging and exciting for them, I found that I was always looking to create space and time for people to have a positive experience. Once I figured that out and was able to name it, I could look for spaces in which to live out my purpose. I’m sure anyone who knows me would say that working at Temple Or Rishon has provided me with the perfect outlet to fulfill my purpose. Every single day I am put in situations where I can positively affect someone else’s life.

Figuring out what makes you tick isn’t an easy thing to do. One way to start is to spend some time in prayer and meditation, thinking about what brings you joy. Recall moments in your past where you were truly happy and then evaluate those moments to try to figure out what about the situation made you happy. Was it the people you were with? The environment you were in? The specific creative activity you were doing? Each time you meditate, try and think of a different moment. Then journal about those memories. Soon you may find that you see patterns and similarities between those events, that is where the kernel of your purpose will come from.

I believe deeply that G-d has a purpose for each of us. We must take the time to pause and listen for that still small voice to help guide us. Remember, divine help can manifest in the most unlikely spaces and when you least expect it. Taking those moments to explore your spiritual connection is a wonderful start for this journey of self-discovery we are on.

CLICK HERE for this week’s guided meditation.

For those who are on the Life Mapping Journey with us, we are just finishing with transferring our experiences to larger post-it notes. Next session we will discuss Major Phases and Sub Phases in our journey. As always, please reach out if you have questions.