Discerning Your Purpose (Gifts or Charisms)

In this talk, Lisa Sliker unpacks ideas to help discern our purpose in life and our calling.

• God’s plan — His for us is to radically change the world.  He broke the mold when He created each of us. This is only one you and there will never be another.  God has a purpose planned for each of us.  Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.”
• Leaving the Faith —There is a crisis in our youth of today.  Many are falling away from their faith by age 13.  70% receive Holy Communion, 50% have left the faith by 18 years old and 80% leave by 23.  Thus, we must infiltrate the hearts of others to let them know their purpose.  Souls must be saved.  There will be more joy and unity in heaven.
• SHAPE — S = Spiritual Gifts or Charisms which cannot be used for bad.  These are given to us in Baptism and Confirmation.  If we need another charism, one will pop up.  H = Habits which energize us and is our passion to get us out of bed.  A = Abilities which are our natural abilities.  For example, hospitality allows us to go to the outcast and make them feel welcomed. P = Personality which God uses.  We can be Introverted or Extraverted.  E = Experiences which allow us to have a purpose in our suffering and tears. 
• Vocation — Your vocation is the small and unique way you have been given to participate in God immeasurable larger work of redeeming the lost.  This can come in services as priest, married, or single, or parent.
• Charisms — Charism comes from the Greek charismata. Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to Christians by the Holy Spirit to enable them to be powerful channels of God’s love.  Every true charism should help to sanctify a person.
• Characteristics — It is received, not chosen.  It is reveal as it unfolds and not on our schedule.  it is bigger than us.  Sometimes fulfilled in our occupation, but normally fulfilled in wherever we are. It is where our deep joy meets the world’s needs.