A few weeks ago, I posted a request on the One Word Faith FaceBook page (you can see it HERE). I asked people to share their reactions to the word PURPOSE using creative responses of images, pictures, GIFs, song titles, etc. The replies I received confirmed my suspicion: We all have a different understanding of PURPOSE. The word has a literal definition, but very subjective interpretations.
Several years ago, I read the book “A Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. I took notes in my journal along the way, and here are some of the statements that stuck with me over the years…
- “You discover your purpose through a relationship with Jesus. You may choose your career, your spouse, your hobbies, but you don’t get to choose your purpose. Your purpose fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.”
- “The key to finding your purpose is not through speculation, but through revelation. God has revealed our purpose through His Word.”
- “When God’s at the center of your life, you worship. When He’s not, you worry. Worry is the warning light that God has been shoved to the sideline.”
This last quote above aligns to some of the responses in the FaceBook post – a picture of a toddler swaying and raising her arm up in praise, a GIF of Steve Harvey looking upwards and mouthing “Thank you Jesus”, and reference to the song “We were made to Worship” by Chris Tomlin. Similarly, another person posted a picture of Lucy (from “I Love Lucy”) making a big sigh of relief.
Being in a state of knowing our purpose, in a mindset of constant praise, keeps us from worry and can provide both a sense of relief AND a sense of direction.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Rick Warren’s book goes on to state that God’s purposes for us are to love Him, to be a part of His family, to become like Him, to serve Him, and to tell others about Him.
To find assurance we are fulfilling His purpose, we can ask ourselves these questions:
Am I putting Jesus at the center of my life?
A reply from the FaceBook post quoted Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Am I developing His character (Christlikeness)?
A reply from the FaceBook post included a graphic with these words: “We are all one – so be kind to ourselves.” Yet another response included this quote: The best part about life? Every morning you have a new opportunity to become a better version of yourself.
Am I serving others?
A reply from the FaceBook post included a picture of a mother carrying two children, in the act of pulling the hood up on the younger one she carried on her back. Another response included this quote: The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
Do I communicate His message to others?
A reply from the FaceBook post included a reference to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, where Jesus sends out the twelve to preach repentance to people everywhere.
Do I love and participate in His family?
A reply from the FaceBook post pointed to the works of Myles Munroe, an ordained minister who used PURPOSE as his main topic in books, sermons, and other guest talks. (Find more here)
Looking at it from this perspective, I begin to understand why the interpretations of PURPOSE are so varied. Here’s where I’ve landed: In most basic terms, our purpose is to Love.
Since Christ is Love, when we become one with Him, we embody love and radiate it outwards. Love then drives us to serve, to shine, and share His light with the world.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:16
As I’ve been contemplating the word PURPOSE these past couple weeks, naturally I started seeing and hearing references related to purpose everywhere. (This is one of the greatest joys of my writing!) For example, I stumbled upon this great quote from Havilah Cunnington: “If you knew how significant your purpose was, you’d never question it again!”
On another day, I was scrolling through Instagram and came across a picture of a baby sea turtle making his way across the beach, heading straight towards the ocean. I stopped scrolling and reflected. Here’s the conversation I had in my mind as I studied the picture:
Look at this turtle. He is so small compared to the vastness of the ocean; yet he doesn’t realize his own size in relation to the mass of water. From the day he is born on land, he just moves steadily toward the ocean with purpose. He is called to the water and responds to that call obediently, not knowing really what awaits him in the depths of the blue sea. Unlike the turtle, I often get too fixated on the size of the task before me, the immensity of the request God has made of me, that I lose sight of my purpose.
My purpose is simply to respond out of love, with love, and to take the step God has called me to do.
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13