We have a drawer in our kitchen we call the junk drawer. Perhaps you have one as well. This drawer houses odds and ends that seemingly have no other home. Over the months, items can be forgotten. Not only do I forget I have the item, but often I forget the purpose of many of the items. While every item in the drawer has a purpose, many of the purposes have been forgotten.
For years, whenever I looked in our junk drawer, I would notice an item that was completely foreign to me. I had no idea what it was or what it did. I would have thrown it out, but I thought it might be needed one day. It is that attitude that often makes our junk drawer overflow. One day I was working on a plumbing project that was missing a critical part. After researching the needed part, I joyfully discovered that I had the very part in my junk drawer. It was the part I thought I might need one day. And, that was the day.
Everything that was ever made was made for a purpose. That means every person has been created for a purpose. The good news is that God does not have a junk drawer. He knows the purpose of everything He has created. Unfortunately, we put ourselves in a junk drawer or allow others to regulate us to that place. We convince ourselves or allow others to convince us that we are useless, purposeless, and unwanted, thus prime candidates for the junk drawer. The good news is that even if you have placed yourself in the junk drawer, God can still take you out and put you in the place for which you were designed. There is hope.
No matter how long something has been in the junk drawer, its purpose remains the same. The same is true for you and me. We were born for a purpose and our circumstances do not change that. The following is true:
- Abraham was designed to be a father of the nations even when he was childless in his old age.
- Joseph was designed to be an interpreter of dreams even when he was a slave in the house of Potiphar.
- Moses was designed to be a people deliverer even when he was watching his father in laws flock in the back side of the desert.
- Joshua was designed to be a warrior conqueror even when he was serving Moses in the tabernacle.
- David was designed to be a king after Gods own heart when he was protecting sheep from lions and bears.
- Peter was designed to be a leader and a fisher of men even when he labored in his boat trying to make a living catching fish.
- Paul was designed to be an apostle to the gentiles even when he was busy threatening and murdering Christians.
- And you are designed to be the person of purpose that God designed you to be even when you find yourself wallowing in confusion, doubt, and unbelief.
Purpose does not change but the fulfillment of purpose does, working in accordance with the timing of God. Through each of the biblical characters we see a time of waiting before the ultimate fulfillment of their purpose. However, in the waiting we see evidence of each person moving in their purpose.
- Before Abraham became a father of nations, he was a father to Lot and Ishmael.
- Before Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh, he interpreted his own dreams and the dreams of the baker and cupbearer.
- Before Moses delivered a nation, he delivered a Hebrew slave who was being beaten by an Egyptian.
- Before Joshua led the children of Israel into the promise land to conquer, Joshua led an army of Israelites to victory over the Amalekites.
- Before David became king of Israel, He led a mish mash group of outlaws and rejects.
- Before Peter was a leader and a fisher of men, He led a fishing business.
- Before Paul was an apostle to the gentiles, he was a committed Pharisee apologist.
- Before you fulfill your greatest purpose, you will find that God is using you in your giftings as he leads your life to its greatest fulfillment.
If your ultimate fulfillment has not arrived yet, don’t let discouragement relegate you to the junk drawer. There is hope yet. Wait on God; don’t give up. The biblical characters in the article did not give up even when they were floundering in seeming obscurity. They kept moving forward in faith, waiting on and trusting in God; believing they had a destiny to fulfill. God changed their junk drawer status to a monument of faith. He will do the same for you.
