Finding your purpose starts with recognizing that God created you for a reason.
Human hearts naturally question life’s purpose.
Why am I here?
Is there a reason?
Can I find my purpose?
People are frantic, bored, disillusioned, and sometimes dying because they lack purpose. Graduates annually venture into the world chasing some checklist: college, job, spouse, house, kids, promotion, get rich, applause, retire, die. None of that’s bad; it’s just not all there is. Many find this out too late.
Imagine the horror!
- Of missing a crucial deadline!
- Of noticing you’re wearing clothes in public you wouldn’t be caught dead in!
- Of running out of gas!
- Of nearing the end of your life, realizing it didn’t accomplish the purposes it was made for!
That doesn’t have to be you.
Are you finding your purpose?
Be encouraged! Your life has significant purposes, and you can find them!
Starting Point for Finding Your Purpose
To find our purpose, we first acknowledge our source. God chose when and where you would be born! You’re not accidental or random, but created on purpose with purpose (Psalm 139:13-18; Genesis 1:27). The One who made you knows why, and He wants to help you find your purpose (Acts 17:26-27).
“Finding your purpose” surpasses choosing a career, next step, or ambition. Yes, you’re created uniquely, but God instills certain universal purposes for everyone everywhere. Let’s discover those first.
Ironically, finding your purpose is less about you than you think!
1. Finding Your Purpose: Be reconciled to God
God wants you close! Like everyone, you’re guilty of wrong actions and thoughts that can alienate you from God (Colossians 1:21-22). If unresolved, you’ll live separately from Him and miss your greatest purpose! Jesus, God’s only Son, suffered your death penalty on a cross. However, God raised Him from the dead three days later, proving His sacrifice was accepted on our behalf! Because of this, you can be made right (at peace) with God! (Romans 5:1; 10:9-13).
Your first purpose is to “come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:20). He kindly commands and invites you to friendship that lasts eternally! Receive it like a gift by trusting what Jesus did for you and live the rest of your life close to God! Failure and guilt can’t undo your first purpose; instead, they prepare you to find it! You were meant to worship, please, love, know, and enjoy God!
Have you asked God to reconcile you to Himself?
If not, do it now! It’s why you exist!
“You were created by Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16)!
One super-rich, extremely brilliant, ancient king made it his life’s purpose to find the purpose of life. Everything seemed meaningless! He concluded: “Don’t…forget your Creator. Honor Him…and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 2, 13).
You’re created for your Creator!
Live by this and you can’t go wrong: “Love the Lord your God will all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Matthew 22:37).
2. Finding Your Purpose: Surrender All to Christ
Jesus gave you your hands, mind, personality, abilities, feet, heart—your life! You wouldn’t have any of it without Him.
Another thing He gave you: freedom to do what you want with it. You can live it for yourself, seeking possessions, positions, popularity, power, or prizes. Jesus warns such a life will be wasted. Try to keep your life and you will lose it. Offer it to Jesus and find true, meaningful life (Matthew 16:24-25).
This is where Jesus uses your DNA, interests, education, and experience. You can uniquely bring glory to God! Take what He’s given, take your achievements and motives, and offer them for His sake. Your purpose goes beyond what you do. You’re designed to be like Jesus in character, words, and deeds. God is actively seeking to accomplish this in you (Romans 8:26-30).
Examples of purpose statements:
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” – Jesus in Luke 19:10
“My purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of God’s grace.” – Paul in Acts 20:24
“To Know Him and make Him known.” – Columbia International University
“One life . . . will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” – Only One Life, C.T.Studd
Live by this and you can’t go wrong: “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for Me, you will find it.” – Jesus (Matthew 10:39).
3. Finding Your Purpose: Serve Others
God fitted you with gifts, talents, and passions to serve and benefit others (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus exemplified this (Matthew 20:28), as did Paul (Titus 1:1), Peter (2 Peter 1:1), and Jude (vs 1). Your third purpose builds on the previous purposes. When Jesus noticed the needs of the world, His solution was everyday, ordinary laborers to partner with Him in meeting those needs and extending His kingdom (Matthew 9:37-38; 28:18-20).
Finding your purpose doesn’t always imply changes in career or life, but in perspective. For example:
- “I hate my job” could become “This company pays me to share Jesus with them”?
- “I fix cars” could be “I help keep people safe.”
How has God uniquely designed YOU to build His kingdom and benefit others?
Live by this and you can’t go wrong: “I’m called to serve, not be served.” (Matthew 20:28)
10 Tips for Finding your Purpose:
- Ponder and adopt the above listed universal purposes, then find out how your life can fit into them.
- Look for “mega-themes” (clues) in your story: passions, pain, experiences, peoples’ affirmations about you.
- Don’t give up.
- Clarity often follows bewildering or difficult seasons.
- Purpose often “unfolds” over time.
- It’s not just big future dreams. You can live purposefully right now! (Worship, Thank, Encourage, Serve, Pray)
- Avoid comparison to others.
- Purposeful lives often look ordinary.
- Trust God’s words and character.
- Impacting just one life is significant.
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he can never lose.” – Jim Elliot
Don’t waste your life!
- Let God draw you close!
- Offer your life for Christ!
- Serve others!
You’ll find a life worth living!
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