Road to God Given Purpose

One of the most challenging impacts of becoming a widow is having what we defined as our purpose become suddenly changed because it was intertwined with our covenantal relationship with our husband. Our marriage made us one, so our purpose had a joint foundation. That foundation abruptly collapsed because half of it is now missing.

Marriage is an exquisitely intimate relationship. When that union is severed by the death of one partner it can be disorienting. Recognizing God’s continuing plan when we lost our husband is a process. Past or present circumstances cannot distract us from the plans God has for our future. This is one of the toughest things widows must face. It is only with God’s help we can redirect our life in the face of excruciating pain and chaos.

We will have questions and uncertainties, but there is one true thing we can stand on. God will always and faithfully continue the good work He started until it is complete.

I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced the One who began this gracious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Philippians 1: 6 TPT

How many widows are afraid they are missing the life they were supposed to live? The biggest threat to unlocking and living a life of God-given purpose is to allow ourselves to remain in our grief and only look backwards at what we think might have been. Eventually we must learn to release the past and engage in our present.

Are you living your true purpose? Are you willing to challenge conventional thinking and open your heart to your true potential? God calls us to be who He created us to be, not just in our past, but moving forward where we excel in every area of our life. God was very deliberate when He created us. He made us uniquely different from every other person He created. God chose qualities we needed so we can fulfill a distinct and true purpose that fits us perfectly.

God wants to bring us to a place of contentment. Intense sorrow follows the devastating loss we now know firsthand. The depth and intensity of grief I experienced sought to quench the life right out of me. I just crossed the five-year milestone and it seems impossible that much time passed. Time itself somehow suspended natural law as I poured my pain and chaos out to God on what seemed a continual basis. I cried out to understand and seek direction while I felt like I was just being swept down a raging current without a life vest or any tool to get to the shore and safety.

And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and He will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but He will overwhelm your failures with His generous grace.

James 1: 5 TPT

I sought God a lot, even more than any other time in my life, since my husband went home to Heaven. He patiently and lovingly gave me space to grieve. He offered His wisdom and direction countless times as I faced so many circumstances I didn’t know how to handle. He put loving and caring people in my path to come alongside me and help me when I needed them. He protected me from harm more times than I can count. He provided for me supernaturally time and time again. He encouraged me through the articles He gave me to write and with His Word. He directed me to truth tellers and anointed people of faith to show His faithfulness and to equip and prepare me for this life’s bumpy situations. The more I seek Him, the more He reveals and provides the things I need and strengthens my faith.

Sometimes we travel through seasons in our lives where we are in transition and need to trust and wait on God to reveal our path. The last five years I made some choices that were definitely not good for me and other choices that proved remarkably wonderful. Periodically I was standing still and idling, while other times I pushed so fast and furious I wore myself out to the point of getting very sick. Occasionally I couldn’t move. Other times I didn’t want to move. There are even times when I am fully confident and feel strong and empowered to forge out this life God gave me.

Widows want to live an inspiring, peaceful, and fulfilling journey. Finding our purpose in God starts with relinquishing control and trusting God with our lives and the future He prepared for us. We start with prayer and ask God to help us develop a plan and show us His purpose for us.

Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again: Will You come and help me? I know I’m always in Your thoughts. You are my true Savior and hero, so don’t delay to deliver me now, for You are my God. Psalm 40: 17 TPT

Here’s something that might help. There is not just one big purpose in life to accomplish but many missions along the way. As we grow and mature, we learn skills and gain experience to equip us to tackle the various aspects of our life. God gave us gifts and talents we may need to use so we can become proficient and adept with until we become experts. The more we practice and experiment with our knowledge and abilities, the more natural they become and the more capable we are in using them.

Tackling some of these missions is a good way to describe how my last five years have been. Transition is like taking a journey where you make some stops along the way. Many of the initial missions have been short-term assignments. Some of these were completely separate from normal life. The plandemic hit very soon after my husband went home. The things that happened and the things I did during that mission were completely foreign to life as I knew it. After my second move, as I was trying to figure out where I belong, I found myself on another mission as I cared for one of my best friends as she battled and lost her life to brain cancer. I’m on another assignment now caring for an 88-year old with dementia and probably soon beginning hospice care.

There are other overlapping missions. Choosing to write these posts for Hope for Widows is a mission that brings more healing and hope than the painful caregiving missions do. Getting involved in my widow’s group is a mission where I feel like I am contributing to help others while at the same time receiving much needed sound support. Finally finding a great church family is one of my favorite missions where I also find wonderful reciprocal fellowship and reinforcement while being invited and encouraged to share my gifts and find and fulfill purpose.

It may be time for you to discover the joy and freedom that come from living a life that is not just accidental, but intentionally and wonderfully designed by God. Understanding why we were created and what we are supposed to do with the time we have can take a lifetime. Especially when our road takes a sharp turn in a new direction, we might find ourselves knocked down and shaken up. We must choose to pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off, and take that next step. Our purpose in life is found in the vision God has and His plan for our life.

Direct me, Yahweh, throughout my journey so I can experience Your plans for my life. Reveal the life-paths that are pleasing to You. Escort me into Your truth; take me by the hand and teach me. For You are the God of my salvation; I wrapped my heart into Yours all day long! Psalm 25: 4-5 TPT

So I said, “Here I am! I’m coming to you as a sacrifice, for in the prophetic scrolls of Your book You have written about me. I delight to fulfill Your will, my God, for Your living words are written upon the pages of my heart.”

Psalm 40: 7-8 TPT

Persistence Against the Resistance

It’s normal to resist change, especially when it’s one of the biggest adjustments of our life. Sometimes all the changes that need to take place to align our heart with God can seem overwhelming. This is when we can pause and remember how God helped us before. This is the power of our testimony. I remember when God answered our prayers and gave us our daughter after we did all we could for thirteen years without success. I think about the times He answered my prayers… in big and small ways. I take inventory of how God changed me and helped me grow in my wisdom and knowledge of Him. I thank Him for His provision and for helping me grow in my relationship with Him.

What God has been faithful to do before I know He will continue to be faithful with in the future. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He had a purpose before so there must be a purpose now. Another truth we can grab hold of is the fact our experience taught us how to find our purpose before. We found it and lived it, growing in skill and enjoyment as we accomplished things.

Knowing this and acting on this understanding can be our launching point to pursue what may just be an adjustment to our purpose in our new circumstances. We can look at our purpose as a diamond with many facets. We were shining through some of those facets before. There are more facets to discover and let shine as we persistently pursue our journey here.

You can discover your God-given talents by looking at things that don’t feel like work but accomplish a purpose. As you walk through the seasons of life, your missions may change. Our own needs change and are affected by our physical, mental, and emotional availability. Seek to discover some of the deep-rooted passions you always carry around. Invest time in the pursuits you enjoy and can be passionate about. Don’t be afraid to learn new skills and serve at a new level.

Widows can find renewed identity and purpose. When we seek and trust God, manage our emotions, learn from both our past and dare to discover new things as we continue to grow and move forward, we can define and pursue a life giving and God honoring purpose. This will create a new foundation where joy and happiness will permeate and flavor life and we reap the benefit of a firmer confidence God is undeniably working out His plans in our lives.

God is the author and finisher of our faith. When we choose to pursue our God given purpose, we reflect God’s heart as we honor Him. As you make your way through your grief and loss process, keep in mind it is possible to come out stronger on the other side and embrace joy again.

In seasons of severe trial, Christians have nothing on earth in which to trust, and we are therefore compelled to cast ourselves on our God alone. When we are burdened with troubles so pressing and so peculiar, that we cannot tell them to anyone but our God, we may be thankful for them; for we will learn more of our Lord then than at any other time.

~ Charles Spurgeon

Let us pray and decree with confidence.

I refuse to allow other things to distract or deter me from the course God charted for me! I go into my future fully focused on Him. I’m strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! I stand complete in Him—with nothing missing, nothing lacking, and nothing broken! I bless the situation I am going through with fully performing God’s purpose for it and bring forth the great victory Jesus purchased on the Cross for me. I speak to this situation and say: Let the valleys be brought up. Let the mountains be brought low. Let the crooked places be made straight. Let the rough places be made smooth. Let the glory of the Lord be revealed. Thank You, Father, for hearing and answering my prayer. I bless You for it. I give You all the glory for everything You are doing and going to do.

I stand in full faith in God and Jesus Christ. He always causes me to triumph! I advance with an anointing to confidently conquer all opposition, overcome every obstacle with ease, and successfully and effectively live a life that brings glory to God and makes Christ known! In Jesus’ Name and by His authority…Amen!

Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm me with every form of grace, so I have more than enough of everything —every moment and in every way. He makes me overflow with abundance in every good thing I do.

2 Corinthians 9: 8

I admit I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into His abundance so I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me His own. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.

So let all who are fully mature have this same passion, and if anyone is not yet gripped by these desires, God will reveal it to them. And let us all advance together to reach this victory-prize, following one path with one passion.

Philippians 3: 12-16 TPT

May the Lord do in your life what only He can—strengthen you with His love, fill you with His assurance, bless you with His peace, and hold you in His arms, as I hold you in my prayers. Go in His Shalom.

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Support Widows This Holiday Season!

As we approach the holidays, the Hope for Widows Foundation is seeking sponsors for our annual Bring Hope Holiday Program. This initiative supports widows facing financial challenges, helping them provide gifts and essentials for their children during this special time of year.

Want to make a difference? Become a sponsor and bring hope to a widow’s family this holiday season. Every contribution, big or small, helps spread joy and light. For more details and to sign up, visit: https://linktr.ee/hopeforwidows

Note: If you are a widow in need of support this holiday season, the widow application will be available at the end of October or the first week of November. You can find it at the same link.

Let’s make this season brighter together!

About Teri Miner

Teri’s dance with grief actually began over five years before she watched her beloved husband of almost 37 years take his last breath and enter Heaven’s door on October 6, 2019. A terminal degenerative neurological disease steadily and increasingly attacked nearly every major system of his body and transformed him from a vibrant, brilliant, strong and caring man to a bedfast invalid at the end. She was devoted to caring for him and doing her best to make the most of every minute they had left, to love him and pray for a miracle.

She thought she knew what her future held, but she had no idea. Losing him was the first time she experienced a close and personal loss. He was the love of her life. The onslaught of the pandemic with its reign of fear-mongering, forced isolation and separation entering the scene and disrupting or destroying whatever sense of “normal” that remained, just added insult to injury.

Her faith in God is the sustaining force keeping her fighting spirit to find and share hope in a bright future. Her heart’s desire is to walk beside her fellow widows toward a path of promise and healing. She wants to offer encouragement and hope so others can find the strength to take that next breath or next step. She recently started her own blog, https://widowwhispers.blogspot.com/, to share with other widows not only the struggles and hardships of widowhood, but the triumphs. Her hope is found in leaning on the Lord Jesus to enjoy a God inspired future anchored in expectation He will bring us to a fulfilling and meaningful life.