What Forgetting My Lines Taught Me About Purpose

There are no small roles, only small actors. I learned this the hard way when I froze on stage as a teenager in front of a full hall.

I had a part that didn’t have many lines, but it was still quite significant. Because it seemed small, I didn’t take it seriously. During the performance, I froze. For what felt like forever, I stood there completely blank, forgetting my line. It was a humbling moment.

That experience taught me something about purpose and responsibility — every part matters, no matter how small it seems.

Dr. Samuel Ekundayo, citing Shakespeare, reminds us that “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Each of us has a role to play, and when we fail to play our part, the scene fails to achieve its purpose.

We need to know which part to play, and which part not to play, and when, in order to fulfil our purpose in every season.

In university, I felt called to step away from theater for a season. It broke my heart - but looking back, I see the wisdom in that timing. It wasn’t that I didn’t have a gift for it, but that it wasn’t where He was taking me at that point in my life.

As the Bible says,

“Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.”
— 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)

Just because something is good, doesn’t mean that it is good for you right now.

Looking back, I can see that He knew it wasn’t the environment that would help me grow in my relationship with Him. He was leading me somewhere else. I had to trust that where He was taking me would grow me more deeply than where I wanted to stay.

Then came another lesson, this time through music.

I was asked to play the cajon at church. First time, so excited. I did my research, watched videos, even bought a foot tambourine. But when I started playing, I overdid it — played it like a full drum set, with the same intensity and energy.

Result? I hurt my ankle so badly I couldn’t exercise for a month.

That moment taught me: even when instruments belong to the same family, they’re not meant to be played the same way. I was trying to play drums on a cajon — taking on a role that wasn’t mine.

Boundaries matter. Timing matters. Purpose matters.

Here’s what playing music taught me that theater couldn’t: even though I’m multi-instrumental, I can only play one instrument at a time. Different parts come in at different moments. If the drummer solos while the singer is singing, it interrupts the flow.

We all need to know who we are and what our role is at a particular time. If God is the Author, the Composer, the Director, the Scriptwriter — the One we are meant to align with — then our task is not to perform mechanically, but faithfully. He gives room for creativity, choice, and improvisation within His sovereign will.

As we grow in discovering our purpose, it’s important to know when to come in, when to keep quiet, and when to step out.

There are truly no small roles, only small actors. When we play our part at the right time, in harmony with the Conductor, our lives begin to move with what The Message translation calls “the unforced rhythms of grace.”

“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.”
— Matthew 11:28–30 (MSG)

Each of us has been written into the story with intention. The question is: Are you ready to step into purpose and play your part?