Women’s lives are marked by change. Our body, our roles, our priorities seem to be constantly shifting. Even some of our typical health milestones are called “the change.” You’d think we’d be experts at accepting these changes by now… but alas, change still seems to catch us off guard. 

As I’ve talked to countless women over the years, a consistent theme I hear is a dissatisfaction in our purpose for each unique season OR a frustration that we don’t understand what our purpose is in life for this season. It seems like when we’re in the throes of motherhood, changing diapers, losing sleep, being a glorified taxi driver and cook, we romanticize about having a purpose outside of motherhood. And then when our motherhood season shifts and we aren’t as needed, we wonder what our new purpose is supposed to be. We feel lost, unsure, insecure. 

From my perspective, I see two distinct types of purpose for the Christian woman.

First of all, we have an unchanging purpose – the very reason and essence for our existence in this world. Consulting the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the answer to the question, “What is the chief end of man?” is simply—yet profoundly—“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This is the purpose that grounds and stabilizes us. When we wonder what our true purpose is in each season, it’s helpful to be reminded about the main thing – and then keep the main thing the main thing. 

The other type of purpose we have shifts, ebbs and flows, across our lifetime. It’s the specific purpose in each season of our life – childhood, young adulthood, career, domestic, community, ministry, etc. This is the purpose that keeps us seeking and wondering where we fit in with God’s grand plan. 

Rahab, an obscure, worldly Old Testament figure, can teach us quite a bit about having a change of purpose.

I encourage you to read her full story in Joshua chapters 2 and 6. When we find her, she’s an enemy of the Hebrew people—a successful business owner in Jericho, where she’s also known as a prostitute. How could God use this woman and give her a purpose?! He’s pretty creative with how He chooses to use us! 

In a Divine Appointment, Rahab encounters two Hebrew spies, who come to lodge with her. She recognizes their heritage and recounts how her people have heard stories of their God and His wondrous deeds. A seed of faith had been planted in Rahab’s heart, and when she was given the opportunity, she chose to act. She hid the spies in an act of rebellion, lied to the king and thereby saved the spies, saving an entire nation. In gratitude for her heroic faith-filled actions, the spies promised that her household would be saved when they conquered Jericho. 

Rahab is indeed saved and becomes grafted in to the Israel nation. She ends up marrying a Jewish man named Salmon. Together they have Boaz, who marries Ruth—and they become great-grandparents to King David. Rahab is included in the lineage of Christ Jesus Himself! And she’s one of the few highlighted females in the Hebrews Hall of Faith chapter. 

From Rahab we learn that…

Being open to a change of purpose—a redirection —requires faith in the Lord.
God doesn’t often reveal all that He knows when He asks us to move directions and enter into a new season of purpose. This requires that we take time to truly listen, trust and make ourselves available to shift as we sense Him opening a new door.

Maybe you sense a change of purpose on the horizon. Or maybe you’re holding on to an old season of purpose. I encourage you to follow the example of Rahab, mix a little faith in with your fears and be open to the Divine Appointments God is putting into your path. You never know—your “yes” to a new purpose could impact generations to come!