For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.

Ephesians 4:16 TPT

God has given each of us unique gifts to make a difference in the lives of others. Seeing God unfold my passions and gifts into a greater purpose has been one of the most exhilarating things about being a Christian.

One of the biggest ways I’ve seen this has been with soccer. As one of my greatest passions, soccer has led to open doors that I could have never imagined:

• It led to career growth. After playing as a kid, I went on to play semi-professionally and abroad in Spain.
• It led to a relationship with God. A friend I met on the soccer field eventually helped me become a Christian.
• It led to purpose. Nine years after becoming a Christian, another friend shared with me his struggle to find inclusive sports programs for his children with special needs. This discussion led to the grassroots beginnings of a global inclusive sports program called E-Soccer that has changed hundreds of lives.

Our passions and interests are not an accident; they are gifts that God gave us for a reason. God helps us understand what our gifts are and gives us the confidence and desire to use them for something bigger than ourselves.

If you don’t know what your gifts are, or if you want to give back to your community but don’t know how, this devotional is for you. It’s also for you if you’ve been chasing personal success with your talents rather than using them to serve others. Let’s learn together how to find our passion and find our purpose.

God gave you gifts for a reason.

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. [17] “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

Mark 1:16-17 BSB

When I read this verse for the first time, I was moved by the way Jesus spoke to the hearts of these fishermen. Jesus took their skill of fishing and gave it a new focus and purpose. They would no longer be fishing for fish; they would be fishing for people. 

Jesus helped them see beyond their day-to-day jobs to a destiny where they could change others’ lives. This is what he does for each of us; he knows what we are good at. He knows our experiences and our passions. He’s the one who gave them to us, and he knows how they play into his bigger purpose for our lives. 

When we believe and follow Jesus the way these fishermen did, he will change our lives for the better. Our gratitude for Jesus’s love and sacrifice will give us the desire to change other people’s lives in the same way (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). 

Everything in our lives is part of the greater purpose of making God known (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 28:18-20). This purpose goes beyond self-serving success, which is short-lived and unsatisfying anyway:

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. [24] If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [25] And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

Luke 9:23-25 NLT

The first-century Christians changed their homes, neighborhoods, communities, and eventually the world simply because they didn’t hide their gifts or use them for selfish gain, but used their gifts to do good (Acts 2:42-47). When we find our passion and our purpose, we will do the same.

I see this playing out every day through E-Soccer. Our passion for sports combined with our belief in God’s vision is leading to the inclusion of people with special needs in all areas of life. 

I want each of us to have this experience of discovering the unique gifts God has given us and choosing to use them for good.

Five ways to find your passion and purpose

1. Find your passion by finding your gratitude.

The first step to finding our passion and purpose is being grateful for what God has given us.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [10] For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT

God loves giving us gifts, and the greatest gift is our salvation. He saved us for a purpose, so that we could do the good things he planned for us.

When we are grateful for how God has chosen us and loved us, we will want to find ways to share that love with other people.

Gratitude is what makes us unselfish about the way we use our gifts. It compels us to love others and help them experience a relationship with God rather than live for ourselves:

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. [15] And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV

Without gratitude, finding our passion and purpose will be a self-focused pursuit. We’ll be looking for ways to advance our own cause rather than looking for ways to make God known. 

2. Find your passion by being you.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. [11] It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. [12] The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. [14] Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.

15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. [16] And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? [17] If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? [18] But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.

1 Corinthians 12:7, 11-12, 14-18 NLT

All of our gifts come from God, so there is no need to compare ourselves to anyone else. Each of us is an original (Galatians 5:26 MSG), and this is what gives us the confidence to bring our gifts into the world. 

But it’s easy to see certain gifts as “better” and others as “worse.” We elevate those who are strong in the areas we envy, and diminish those who are strong in the areas we see as less. As a result, we don’t end up using the gifts we do have to help anyone.

Instead, we should value each gift as important, since each gift comes from God. When we do, we can look at our own gifts without judgment or comparison, and start to discover and own the personal role God has for us.

Here are a few ways to stop envying other people’s gifts so we can appreciate our own:

• Express gratitude to God for the gifts he gave you.
• Admire and learn from others instead of envying them.
• Ask God how you can use your gifts alongside others as a team rather than competing with them.
• Find Scriptures about God’s love and purpose for you.

If you’re not sure what your gifts are, I’ve included a link at the end of this devotional to a short quiz that will help you better understand yourself and identify your strengths.

3. Find your passion by seeing your limitations as gifts, too.

…so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness…

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 MSG

Sometimes, what seems like a limitation or weakness from a human perspective can actually be a gift. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul was tempted to see his limitations as a “handicap” and weakness. We might feel the same. Like Paul, we have a choice: will we view our limitations as setbacks, or as opportunities? When we trust that God’s grace and love are all we need, we can allow his strength to move in on our perceived weaknesses. We might find that these very limitations steer our paths into relationships that lead to growth and impact.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. [4] He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT

Instead of seeing our limitations as something to be ashamed of, let’s see them as gifts we can use to relate to and inspire others.

4. Find your purpose by walking with God.

Once we’ve found our passion by embracing the gifts God has given us, we can start learning how God wants to use this passion for a purpose. This understanding comes when we humbly walk with God.

Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. [6] Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. [21] My child, never drift off course from these two goals for your life: to walk in wisdom and to discover your purpose. Don’t ever forget how they empower you. [22] For they strengthen you inside and out and inspire you to do what’s right; you will be energized and refreshed by the healing they bring.

Proverbs 3:5-6,21-22 TPT

When we read the Bible to hear God’s Word and when we pray to bring our hearts closer to his, we become intimate with him in everything we do. We trust his guidance, and in doing so discover our purpose. 

The Passion Translation describes spiritual wisdom from God as energizing and refreshing. When we let God guide us in how we use our lives, we will feel physically stronger!

When trying to find a purpose for your passion, start by asking yourself: What will bring me closer to God? What will make God happy? What will help others see God better?

The answers to these questions are the start to a beautiful purpose.

5. Find your purpose by finding your friends.

Let’s look back at the first verse we read in this devotional. Ephesians 4 says that our gifts operate effectively in connection with others.

For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.

Ephesians 4:16 TPT

Much like the parts of a human body, people function best in connection with other people. This is true for two reasons:

1. Friendships give us compassion. Listening to our friends and understanding their needs will give us a vision for how we can help. A big part of what motivated me to launch E-Soccer was understanding the needs in my friend’s family and realizing I could help. His story activated my compassion and opened my eyes to the needs we could meet in countless other families with disabilities.
2. Friendships give us strengthand vision.  I would never have thought of the idea of E-Soccer by myself or had the ability to carry it out. I needed the vision and purpose that my friend brought. E-Soccer also wouldn’t have grown if not for the gifts of countless people involved—the volunteer coaches who bring creativity and energy to every session, the parents who organize and communicate, and the community partners who promote our program.

If you’re struggling to turn your passion into purpose, ask yourself whether you are trying to do it by yourself.  Listen to people you know and understand their pain points. Let your friends’ and neighbors’ stories fill you with compassion and give you a desire to help. Learn from friends around you whose gifts you admire. By working together, we can each help each other turn our passion into purpose.

Questions for reflection

1. Do you believe God chose you for a reason?
2. What gifts or strengths has God given you? What weaknesses or limitations do you have, and how could God work through those for a purpose?
3. How can you use your gifts to do good in your community?

Get started on your journey

Take our quiz What Are My Spiritual Gifts, and How Can I Use Them for Good? Your result will include a Bible study to read, a Bible character to study out, and a practical way to start using your gift for good. Get involved in your community by using your gift for God’s purpose this week!