How to Find Your True Purpose in Life

How to Find Your True Purpose in Life | Turn Your Face Toward God

Posted on by Michele Morin

When I listen with just my ears, my heart can be ten thousand miles away. Just ask my grandchildren. They know the difference.

“Bam, LOOK!” they demand until I turn my face toward the block structure, the moth in the jar, or the crayoned masterpiece. A woman on a mission, I need words tatooed on my brain: People over project! Pay attention!

This is my project of PERSEVERANCE for 2021, and my continual task of rejecting distraction as a way of life. In turning my face toward those I love, I assure them of my full presence with them. When he wrote Psalm 139, David knew that he had God’s unwavering attention at all times and in all places:

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?”

Psalm 139:7

I’m no Hebrew scholar, but those who are say that the word “presence” could equally well be translated as the word “face.” Where shall I flee from your face, Lord? That’s a double edged sword, for sure, offering comfort to the righteous and terror to anyone who is fleeing from God.

Today, I am finding not only comfort but solid reassurance that, with all my inattentive ways and chronic distraction, when I manage to turn my face toward God, God has already turned toward me. I provide a small tutorial on the character of God for my children and my grandchildren if and when they find me attentive to and interested in their words and their ways.

I provide a small tutorial on the character of God for my children and my grandchildren if and when they find me attentive to and interested in their words and their ways.

God’s face, turned toward my face, is nothing less than a miracle. He created the universe and has solar systems to run on schedule, and yet he is not an impersonal God. He has declared himself as a loving God who seeks a relationship with you and me.

Find Your True Purpose

And here is the biggest miracle of all: When I turn my face toward him, when I enter into relationship with our relational God, I find my true purpose in life.

Are you looking for a solid purpose for your life? Jesus Christ has made it possible for you to read Psalm 139:7 with a heart full of joy rather than dread, because he “has suffered once for sin, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God!”

When you take the gift of his righteousness, you also receive the gift of his presence:

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?”

Psalm 139:7

Find your true purpose by turning your face toward the God whose face is perpetually turned toward you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you,

Find your true purpose by turning your face toward the God whose face is perpetually turned toward you.

On the Third Thursday of every month, I send biblical encouragement and newsy insights to newsletter subscribers. In my June newsletter (they show up in subscribers’ inboxes on the third Thursday of every month), I’ll be sharing a PDF with a guided meditation, something printable that you can keep with you and use as a format for pondering first this verse, and then your own familiar verses. If you’re already a subscriber to the newsletter, just watch your inbox in the early morning of June 17. If not, just click on the button below to subscribe:

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a teacher, blogger, reader, and gardener who finds joy in sitting at a table surrounded by women with open Bibles. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty years, and together they have four sons, two daughters-in-love, three grandchildren, and one lazy St. Bernard. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.

42 thoughts on “How to Find Your True Purpose in Life | Turn Your Face Toward God”

  1. Michele, I have always been amazed when Scripture tells us God bends to listen. The thought of His face and/or His ear being inclined towards me is astounding. May my face and ears be turned towards Him so that I am attentive to His Word and His way.

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  5. Psalm 139 is my all-time favorite psalm. I love how you highlighted it and reminded me God’s face is always turned toward me. When I turn my face toward Him, when I’m listening to Him, I can indeed find my purpose.

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  6. Michele, what a great post and I wholeheartedly agree! It really is amazing how much God loves us, how He always forgives and showers us with mercy and grace every day. Blessings to you! xo

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  7. “whose face is perpetually turned toward you” what a beautiful image to ponder. Thank you Michelle.

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  8. Fabulous, Michele, I love this, “Today, I am finding not only comfort but solid reassurance that, with all my inattentive ways and chronic distraction, when I manage to turn my face toward God, God has already turned toward me.” Sch an encouraging post!

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  11. “…with all my inattentive ways and chronic distraction, when I manage to turn my face toward God, God has already turned toward me”. This just sums up my walk with the Father and I’m humbled each time. But I find it so very comforting also.

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  12. In researching Numbers 6:25 a few years ago–the part about “the Lord make his face shine on you”–I learned that “face” is a metaphor for God’s attributes–his graciousness, love, goodness, wisdom, justice, and more. God not only sees us but manifests all those wondrous character traits while attenting to our every need (Philippians 4:19), including our desire for purpose. Hallelujah!

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  13. I, too, need to remember to turn my face towards those who need me and especially towards God. And it is so true that if the God of the galaxies can turn His face to me and always listen, I can be so thankful and try to do that for others!

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  15. Michele, this is a good reminder to give people our full attention, “My continual task of rejecting distraction as a way of life. In turning my face toward those I love, I assure them of my full presence with them.”

    And this is comforting, “When I manage to turn my face toward God, God has already turned toward me.”

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  17. Yep…I need this too: “I need words tatooed on my brain: People over project! Pay attention!”

    I love how you draw Psalm 139 into a discussion about perseverance. God definitely perseveres in keeping his face turned toward us. May we do likewise! Glad you added this to our One Word linkup.

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  18. I love this, “And here is the biggest miracle of all: When I turn my face toward him, when I enter into relationship with our relational God, I find my true purpose in life.”!! Thanks for sharing such deep thoughts!

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  19. People over project! I love it! I’m so glad God turns his face toward me, even when my focus is elsewhere. I love the reminders of being present in your post. Thank you!

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  20. Thanks Michele and all those whose comments add to the conversation and insight of this beautiful verse. We will feature this post in the next Blogger’s Pit Stop.
    Kathleen

    Like

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