My Purpose Wasn’t a Conference Call

July 25, 2025 Belinda M. Lane 

I’ve heard it said many times, “when God calls you into your purpose, it isn’t a conference call.” A pervasive fear of judgment keeps countless individuals from aligning their lives with their passions, effectively silencing their inner drive to follow their purpose. Many individuals are living unfulfilled lives because they took the wrong fork in the road. That in turn affected their lives. Sometimes it is as simple as following family or social opinions. At some point, we must step into our calling, facing whatever challenges may arise.

In the biblical account, Jesse viewed his son David as a simple shepherd, tending his flocks of sheep in the fields. To God David’s purpose was to be a warrior and a king.

Among his tribes, Gideon’s tribe was the smallest, with Gibeon being the smallest within it. To God, he was a mighty man of valor, a warrior whose strength and courage were legendary. He has been documented as defeating 135,000 soldiers using only 300 men.

In a cave, alone and broken, Elijah, having lost sight of his purpose, cried out to God, begging for an end to his life. He lived portions of his life in the wilderness. Yet he didn’t suffer death. A fiery chariot took him to heaven.

I brought up these individuals who had different aspirations than what others expected. Their purpose varied from what people (especially one’s close to them) thought they should or should not be doing.

What sacrifices are you willing to make, what challenges are you willing to overcome, to discover and live out your life’s purpose? I read of millionaires on their deathbed who wished they’d lived a different life, thinking money was the key to happiness. I've even heard of millionaires who committed suicide. If you were to look at your own life, are you living up to the total purpose of your life? Stop! Do you realize the total intent of your existence? 

Many of us, me included, find it difficult in a 30-day diet without straying throughout the 30 days. We come up with what we consider being valid excuses to justify breaking our commitment (to ourselves). The fitness center membership card is on our keychain, and it’s been weeks since our last visit. The first chapter draft of our book we started writing 2 years ago, is gathering somewhere in our office.

Many of you have encountered significant challenges. I commend your strength and resilience. Some of you spent years without experiencing what you would consider “a break.” You who are still standing while remembering the times, you had to crawl. 

There were periods when it looked like you would lose your mind. The counseling, therapist sessions, homelessness, taking jobs, you were overqualified for just to keep a roof over you and/or family. The days you felt you could not take another step but did. A flashback to when it was clear you had emptied the pill bottle and still woke up.

I applaud your commitment to your purpose and celebrate your continued presence in its fulfillment. I congratulate you on the lives you’ve touched and improved, making a real difference in the world. 

As you stand at the end of your purpose, those ultimate words will become apparent… Well done, my good and faithful servant. 

Face to Face Moment: Purpose

·         Write out (or summarize) your Purpose in one paragraph

·         Note any changes observed to this point in the past six (6) months regarding your purpose.

·         Using a 1-4 scale, please assess any positive advancements you’ve observed.

(1-None 2-A little 3-Some 4-Progressing)

Concentrate on one life aspect and look for repeated patterns of victory or defeat.

·       Identify a meaningful aim, then determine why—disregarding financial aspects—you haven’t accomplished it.    

Identify what’s hindering your goal attainment.

(a)   Distractions (b) Time Management (c) Lack of Planning 

Share your Face to Face Moment with someone you trust.

 Thank you for joining me for Friday at Sundown. Remember… Just Breathe!

Resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Dial 988

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you

800-273-8255

Domestic Violence

National Domestic Violence Hotline can help victims, survivors of domestic violence. Call 1-800-799-7233. Chat w/an advocate on our website. National Domestic Violence Hotline: www.thehotline.org/ 

Aid for Military Veterans

In an attempt to cope with the pain of overwhelming emotions, sometimes veterans turn to unhealthy relationships, at-risk behaviors, or substance abuse.

Welcome Home is Celebrate Recovery's (CR) tool to help veterans stuck in hurts, hang-ups, and habits. (These statements are from CR’s Homepage). You are not alone.