Recalibrate – Living on Purpose by Cheryl Luke

Have you ever spent a considerable amount of time searching for something valuable?  You can recall having it in your possession, yet for some reason, you are unable to uncover what you’ve done with it?  Maybe you’ve tried to identify or connect with something that clearly belongs to you.  It is in your possession. You own it. You know it’s yours; however, you just don’t know what to do with it.

“Remember who you are.” This is something my sister, Cissy, advised my nephew every time he extended his reach toward the handle of their front door.   Derrek might have been going out to play with his childhood friend, Angel or on his way to school.  She faithfully recited these unforgettable words as he exited the car for band practice or a soccer game.  Without fail, this authoritative phrase became an anthem in their household, “Remember who you are.”

As I reflect on the simplicity of this all too familiar expression, I cannot help but wonder how often we lose sight of who we are, our true identity, our purpose and what we have to offer as individuals.  Life circumstances – disappointment, triumph and failure – help shape our distinctiveness, yet, they also have the capacity to send us reeling down a path we were never intended to travel. It is during these times we might ask the question, ‘how did I get here’ or ‘how do I get back to the place I’m supposed to be?’

During these times of reflection we have the opportunity to regroup, make course adjustments or to recalibrate.  In an effort to recalibrate one has to go back to their original intent, purpose or context – remember who you are.  Coming from the word caliber, recalibrate is the degree of excellence or the quality of something; recalibrate expresses the necessity to revisit one’s unique and initial state of existence.

Because life has become so busy, one may think ‘now’ is not the appropriate time to take advantage of life-adjustments.  Going off course or experiencing a win in life can be used to our benefit.  At this stage, you have the opportunity to further define who you are and why you are here.  So, take the time to recalibrate, assess your life and ‘Remember who you are’.  There is no better time than the present!

Here are a number of tips to help you reposition yourself:

1.     Stop – long enough to assess your position.  Think about where you’ve been and where you are going.  How did you get here and what will it take to move forward. Ephesians 2:10

2.  Pray – for wisdom. Ask the Lord to provide insight for your life. James 1:5; Proverbs 3:3-12

3.  Redirect – your thoughts.  This is a good time to think about what you have been thinking about.  Our thoughts are powerful and have great influence on our actions. Philippians 4:8

4.  Ask — for help.  Those who know you well have the capacity to provide a different and honest perspective about your situation.

5. Keep moving – forward.  You may have to change course.  Forward is the only direction in which you are intended to move.  You may or may not progress at maximum speed at first; nevertheless, you are moving in the appropriate direction.  Movement creates momentum.  Philippians 3:12-16 (MSG); 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (MSG)

6.  Live to give – your life away.  Pastor Laura Koke of Shoreline Church in Austin, Texas,coined this phrase.  Jesus is the greatest example of living and giving; He presented all that He had. We were created to share our lives with others. Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

One of my favorite translations of the Bible is the Message.  I want to encourage you to review and study these verses mentioned above in various translations.

Question:  When things go awry or when you encounter a win in your life-journey, how do you recalibrate?

***Cheryl Luke is the Women’s Pastor at Shoreline Church, Austin, TX. You can follow her on Twitter HERE and friend her on Facebook HERE.