What’s your purpose? Since the beginning of our Ephesians series in January, we have grappled with this question. Browncroft’s fourth annual Spiritual Formation Conference this past Saturday focused on this issue.
I find that many of us consider purpose like a blank canvas that needs paint. No matter what season of life you currently find yourself in, it can be hard to see what your greater purpose is in the mundaneness of the everyday. You have a job. You have a family. You have responsibilities. You have a house or an apartment. But what we must remember is that purpose emerges out of our present circumstances more than through new experiences and colorful mountain top moments.
Rev. Wally Fleming opened the Spiritual Formation Conference with two key ideas – finding purpose in the ordinary and embracing rituals to sustain us in the long haul. One of the quotes that tied these themes together came from Oswald Chambers in his book My Utmost for His Highest:
“The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend…We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, these are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in…”
Purpose emerges out of our present circumstances more than through new experiences and colorful mountain top moments.
The remainder of the conference invited participants to sort through the ordinary, rituals, and valleys of purpose. Our first set of workshops engaged purpose through lenses of singleness, work, retirement, parenting, and the question – “Why am I even here?” The next set of workshops provided a practice for individuals to bring their purpose to Monday through Saturday. These workshops included topics like – leaving a legacy, healing and forgiveness, identifying priorities, practicing core values, and knowing our identity. Lastly, we closed in prayer reflecting on how God spoke to us throughout the morning.
I valued the time to pray with my daughter about her purpose and gifts. Family Ministry brought a powerful kids session on purpose framed by Ephesians 2:10.
In all, I’m very thankful for the approximately 130 individuals who participated. I’m grateful to the remarkable speakers investing in this church. And of course this event couldn’t have happened without staff and volunteer support.
Stay tuned for the date of the Spiritual Formation Conference in 2027. Let’s keep following God to see the purpose He has for us individually and as a church for this season.
