Day 1 — My S.H.A.P.E. and My Aim
Let’s go on a journey together this month.
June is a gift for educators and leaders. The pace slows just enough for the dust to settle a little, and we finally have room to think again. Every year around this time, I find myself wanting to pray, study, evaluate, simplify, and reconsider God’s calling on my life.
Not merely my job. Not merely my responsibilities. Not merely my goals for another school year.
But my calling.
In one sense, there is one ultimate calling for all believers. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says it beautifully:
“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
That is true.
But sometimes that truth can feel so large and sweeping that it becomes difficult to know what faithfulness looks like on a Monday morning in the middle of ordinary life.
It is almost like zooming too far out on a map. Suddenly you can see the whole country, but you lose sight of the actual road you are supposed to travel and you realize that the street view matters too.
That is one reason Os Guinness’ book The Call impacted me so deeply years ago. Guinness challenged me to think carefully about the difference between my primary calling and my secondary callings.
My primary calling is to belong to Christ. That never changes.
Everything else flows from there… and yes, secondary callings sometimes change!
My secondary callings involve the specific ways God has shaped me to serve, lead, teach, encourage, build, organize, shepherd, and influence others.
That is where this idea of “My Aim” began developing in my own life.
What direction am I really headed?
Am I living intentionally?
Am I aligned with the way God designed me?
Or have I simply drifted into survival mode?
Years ago, someone introduced me to the idea of understanding your “S.H.A.P.E.” I have returned to it many times because I think it provides a helpful framework for reflection.
Everyone has a SHAPE.
And while God absolutely works outside our strengths, preferences, and personalities at times, He also tends to work through the unique ways He has designed us.
So today is not about creating a five-year plan.
It is simply about slowing down long enough to reflect.
S — Spiritual Gifts
What spiritual gifts has God given you?
If you have never taken time to think carefully about this, I would encourage you to pray through passages like I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12.
What kinds of ministry opportunities seem to give life to you?
Where have others consistently affirmed your usefulness?
What burdens or desires has God repeatedly placed on your heart?
H — Heart
What do you care deeply about?
What energizes you?
What kinds of needs or problems consistently move you emotionally?
Psalm 37:4 says:
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
I do not think that verse merely means God hands us whatever we want. I think part of spiritual maturity is that God actually shapes our desires over time.
So what desires keep resurfacing in your life?
A — Aptitude
What skills and abilities has God allowed you to develop?
What kinds of work seem to fit naturally?
What have people consistently trusted you to do well?
Sometimes we overlook our aptitudes because they seem ordinary to us.
But often our strengths leave clues about our calling.
P — Personality
Jesus intends to transform our character, but I do not believe He erases our personality.
Years ago, I took the Myers-Briggs inventory and scored as an INFP.
That description resonated with me:
Idealistic. Reflective. Curious. Interested in possibilities and meaning. Drawn toward helping people grow and fulfill their potential.
I have learned over the years that understanding personality is not about putting ourselves in a box.
It is about understanding how God wired us so we can lead and serve with greater wisdom.
E — Experiences
Our experiences shape us more than we often realize.
Successes. Failures. Wounds. Achievements. Losses. Mentors. Unexpected opportunities. Hard seasons. God wastes very little.
Many of the experiences we would never have chosen become part of the very foundation He uses to shape our influence and calling.
So as we begin this month together, perhaps this is a good place to start.
Reflect on your shape. Reflect on your aim.
Reflect on the ways God has uniquely formed and directed your life.
Because calling is not merely about what we accomplish.
It is also about becoming the kind of people who faithfully reflect Christ in the places He has called us to serve.
And perhaps June is a good time to remember that again.
So what is your shape? Spend time today thinking about that.
Reading: I read the Introduction to “The Call” as a backdrop for this devo. My takeaway was to spend a few minutes reflecting on “My life purpose comes from 2 sources, Who am I CREATED to be and Who am I CALLED to be”
Lord, over the next 30 days, help me rest in YOU and help me reflect on who You created me to be and what You have called me to be. Let me be sensitive to Your Word during this time and listen carefully in my interactions with others… send me what I need to hear and know!”
