The two most significant days of your life are the day you’re born and the day you discover what you were born for; that is, your calling, your mission, your purpose.

Moses discovered his purpose was to deliver the nation of Israel from bondage. Jeremiah the prophet discovered his purpose was to proclaim God’s message of judgment to the nation of Judah. And Nehemiah discovered his purpose was to rebuild Jerusalem’s city walls.

I believe God wants us to be part of something great. I think it's time we stop spending our lives and start investing our lives. And when it comes to purpose, the question is not, “What is my purpose for my life?” but “What is God's purpose for my life? What does He want?”

The Bible says, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). So, this is our moment. We want to make it count.

So how do we do that?

Discovering God’s calling for your life, or at least confirming what it is you are called to, requires prayer. The Bible says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

Trust that God is big enough and cares enough to reveal what He has for you—His purpose for your life. In fact, I would say God is more eager to reveal His will to you than you are to have His will revealed.

And God is able to do that, even though you can't see it at this moment. That's where trust comes in. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Don’t presume; test what you think God has placed on your heart because you want to know for sure. There is a mistaken idea that a Christian just needs to go out in faith— which, to some people, means without a plan. Believe God enough to pray and have a plan. We're talking about your calling; you don't want to get this wrong!

When I was in college, I thought my purpose in life was to be a pastor—and I tested that. I figured I would start a home Bible study, see if it took root, and if people would understand the Bible and grow in their faith. If so, that could be the confirmation I was seeking.

If you think you may be called to be an evangelist, go out and do street witnessing. Go tell your friends, family, and people in your community about Jesus, and see if anybody gets saved. If nobody accepts salvation, that's a good thing to know before you invest time and money into a calling that is not yours. You want to test it before you go. A calling that cannot be tested is a calling that cannot be trusted.

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Find your calling. That's where the joy kicks in. That's when you’ll be strengthened to live another day—when you're fulfilling your purpose, your mission.