04 | Limited Time to Pursue Your Purpose? 3 Ways to Move Forward in the Busyness of Midlife

Do you feel like there’s never enough time to pursue your purpose? Maybe between work, family, health, responsibilities, and everything else that comes with midlife, you keep wondering how you’re supposed to fit in what God is calling you to do. And maybe you’ve even told yourself you’ll move forward when life finally calms down, but who knows when that will come? In today’s episode, I’m sharing three ways to pursue your purpose in the middle of a busy life and keep moving forward with the time and capacity you have. 

Do you want clarity and confidence to walk in your unique life purpose, but find yourself struggling because you don’t know what God is calling you to do or because doubt is holding you back?

Hi, I’m Arris, wife, mom, writer, and life purpose coach. I walked the path to find clarity about my purpose, overcome doubt, and step into my calling, and now God has called me to help you find yours and walk in it. If you’re ready to find clarity about your purpose, grow more confident in who you are, and live out your calling in the middle of real life. Then you’re in the right place. Join the conversation, and let’s get Candid on Calling.

Before we dive in, if you’re trying to use your time more intentionally and make sure what you’re saying yes to actually aligns with God’s purpose for you, I have a free purpose alignment checklist that can help you apply what we’re talking about in today’s episode. It includes seven reflections to help you look at your current activities and future opportunities and discern what aligns with the path God may be leading you on. You can grab it at liveinspiredbypurpose.com/checklist or through the link in the show notes. 

I remember feeling like I couldn’t fit one more thing into my life, even something I believed God was asking me to do. We had moved halfway across the country, and I was still trying to settle into a new home. At the same time, I was dealing with insomnia and other symptoms related to midlife hormone changes, which left me feeling exhausted most days. 

I already had so much going on with my family and at home, then caregiving for a parent became part of my daily life. I was already pulled in too many directions with limited time for anything else.

And in the middle of all that, I was still trying to continue the work of my business and ministry as part of God’s purpose for me in that season. There was no way I could move forward in that part of my calling at the pace I wanted to or do everything I thought I should be doing. 

But I began to see that God was still at work even when I had to work less. My time was limited, but He continued to guide me and open doors in the middle of that very busy time. 

That season helped me to see that I could still move forward when I followed God’s plan instead of my own. 

And I want to share three ways to pursue God’s purpose for you, even when life is busy.

First, discern what matters most in this season.

There are so many things that genuinely matter and need your attention even when you’re really busy and your time is limited. Caring for family, working, serving at church, managing health needs, and just keeping up with everyday life.

It can be overwhelming.

But maybe you also sense God nudging you to do something. And now you’re wondering how one more thing could possibly fit into your life. 

Discerning what matters most doesn’t mean everything else isn’t important, but it does mean being prayerful in deciding what needs your full attention right now, what can have a little less focus, and what might need to wait.

And if you clearly sense God calling you to pursue a specific purpose in this season, then taking steps in it needs to be among your priorities. But what it looks like to walk in that calling and how much you can realistically do depends on how God is leading you. 

In Ephesians 5:15-17, we learn that we need to be careful how we live, to live wisely, to make the most of our time, and to understand God’s will.

I think that’s an important reminder that using our time wisely isn’t only about being productive or getting more done, it’s also about seeking God for wisdom and about what is meant to have our time and energy right now. 

Because when you haven’t decided in advance what matters most, everything competes for the same limited time. And it’s easy for how you spend your time to shift with your mood, your emotions, or even other people’s expectations, and your purpose can keep getting pushed aside by everything else.

So start by asking God, what are you asking me to focus on in this season? 

Then look at the things taking your time now, as well as what’s waiting for your time, and consider which ones truly need to be priorities right now.

Ask yourself… 

• Is this something God is clearly asking me to focus on right now, or something connected to the responsibilities He’s already given me? 
• Is this essential for my faith, health, and well-being? 
• What would actually happen if I did less of this? Simplified it or stopped doing it for a while?
• Is this truly important, or has it just become urgent, expected, or just what I’m used to doing? 

You might realize there’s something good you’re trying to do that isn’t really meant for this season, or maybe you’re focusing on a strategy, an opportunity, or an expectation because someone else said you should, and you’d have more time and energy if you did something differently. 

Even when it feels like everything and everyone is calling your name, you don’t have to do it all or please everyone. Get clear about what matters most, and let that clarity help you decide what gets a yes, no, or not right now. 

Second, define what progress and your purpose realistically look like in this season. 

Sometimes we have one picture in our minds about what pursuing our purpose is supposed to look like. It could be based on our own desires or expectations, what the world says it should look like, what it looks like for others, or other influences. 

Maybe you think… 

• Starting the business requires working on it every single day, or 
• Writing the book takes spending hours writing each week.
• Speaking on stage means looking, dressing, or sounding a certain way, or 
• Stepping into ministry looks like working to build every part of your vision.

And you don’t have the time or capacity to pursue it that way, so it can feel like you can’t move forward at all. So you might give up or not even start because you think that if you can’t do it on the timeline or at the pace or in the way you believe you should, you’re failing or letting God down. 

But moving forward in your purpose might look different in a busy season.

The gap between where you are and where you want to be can feel overwhelming when you have limited time and energy. 

You might think, I don’t have time for this right now, when the real issue is that you’re defining progress by what it could eventually require, instead of what you can realistically do. Or you’re measring productivity by your own expectations or someone else’s instead of what God is asking of you.

God may be asking you to look at progress in your purpose differently in this season, to define success the way He does rather than the way you do, the way others do, or the way the world does. 

Maybe this is a time to learn, prepare, research, write, test an idea, build one relationship, or begin one small part of the vision. 

Moving forward can look different without meaning you’ve stopped pursuing your purpose

So ask yourself what moving forward in your purpose looks like in this season, not in your ideal life, but where you are right now. 

Keep the whole long-term vision in mind, but only focus on the part that you’re meant to do now. You don’t need to pursue your purpose at full scale.

Simply doing the thing God is asking you to do in obedience and taking your time or waiting on the rest is okay. Being faithful in one small thing is a big thing to God. 

So think about: 

• What needs to happen now,
• What may need to wait,
• What could you begin preparing for but without doing it fully yet?

Give yourself permission to focus on the part of your purpose that fits this season. 

It’s important to make moving forward a priority so your purpose doesn’t always get whatever time is left over, but that priority can still be realistic for your season. 

You can decide ahead of time what step you’ll take and when, or just stay flexible and move forward when God gives you a window of time and energy.

Third, find the support you need to keep moving forward. 

When life is already busy, it can be easy to assume that pursuing your purpose is one more thing you have to figure out, manage, and keep moving forward on your own. But you weren’t meant to pursue it alone.

The right support can help you take a first step or continue moving forward in a way that fits your life and the season you’re in. 

Limited time and capacity can feel even more limiting when you’re trying to carry the weight of everything yourself. 

You might spend time trying to figure out something another person could help you understand more quickly.

You may keep putting something off because you’re struggling to stay motivated. Or you might become discouraged and wonder whether you’re making any real progress because you’re trying to move forward without encouragement or support. 

Getting support may require a little time of its own, but it can help you use the time, energy, and opportunities you do have more effectively and find practical or creative ways to keep moving forward when life gets busy.

Think about where you most need support in this season. 

Do you need encouragement or accountability? More clarity or maybe specific guidance on something? Practical help or just to connect with women who understand what it’s like to pursue their purpose in the middle of real life? 

You may need someone who will pray with you and ask you how thingsare going. You might need a coach, mentor, or someone with experience who can help you get clear without spending your limited time trying to figure everything out on your own. A course, a live class might give you structure and accountability you need, or a community of like-minded women may help you feel encouraged and less alone. Identify one person, resource, or community you can reach out to for the kind of support you need. You don’t have to walk your path of purpose alone.

So if your time is limited, don’t assume you have to wait until life slows down to pursue your purpose. Prayerfully discern what matters most in this season. Decide what moving forward realistically looks like right now, and consider what support could help you keep going.

You don’t have to pursue the entire vision at full scale. You might move at a different pace during a busy season, but you can still move forward in God’s purpose for you. 

And remember, if you need help discerning what deserves your time and energy in this season, get my free Purpose Alignment Checklist. The seven reflections will help you take a closer look at what you’re doing now and what you may be considering next so you can move forward with greater clarity and intention toward your purpose. You can grab it at liveinspiredbypurpose.com/ checklist or through the link in the show notes. 

I’m so glad you joined me today. If you know someone who could benefit from this conversation, I hope you’ll share this episode with her. And if Candid on Calling is helpful to you, I’d be so grateful if you’d leave a review. Your words can help this podcast reach more women.

Until next time, keep living inspired by purpose.