What’s Your Purpose in Life?
What if your true purpose in life is not what you thought it was? Would you like to know?
If so, to whom will you turn to discover that purpose? Will it be yourself, the culture around you, or God through His Word, the Bible?
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5, ESV)
An Awakening
There is an awakening taking place in America. Millennials are realizing their need for God and turning to the Bible for answers to life’s challenges. God is showing you that conformity to this world is a dead-end street. He wants you to know that life worth living comes by knowing and trusting the God who created you and loves you.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2, NKJV)
Every generation is uniquely different, yet individuals from each generation are faced with the same question, who will I trust? Will I trust in myself and value what the culture around me tempts me to value? Or will I trust the God who loves me, and longs for me to trust Him and love Him?
Let’s say you turn to the cultural norms of today such as social media to determine your purpose in life. You then decide your purpose is to pursue what this world has to offer. Your goals might include:
- Getting a college degree and beginning a career, without knowing what you are gifted at and would truly enjoy doing.
- Choosing to work at a high paying job just so you can impress others.
- Eating at fancy restaurants, taking lavish vacations, and experiencing all that entertainment has to offer.
- Hooking up with other consensual partners and/or marrying someone for the wrong reasons.
- Getting married and having children, not knowing how to be a godly spouse or parent.
- Achieving fame and recognition, even if you might become too busy and neglect time with family.
- Winning the love, acceptance and affirmation of people.
With that mindset, are you setting yourself up to eventually experience heartache and suffering when people reject you and let you down? If that happens, how will you respond? Will you struggle with depression and turn to alcohol, drugs, or sex to relieve the pain? Will you have resentment, become bitter, and blame God? If you choose to blame God, why? In the Bible, God has compassionately warned us:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. (1 John 2:15, ESV)
…whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4, ESV)
If instead you turn to God and discover your true purpose in life is to know Christ and become more like Him, your goals may include:
- Discovering your spiritual gift(s) and what you love to do prior to pursuing work.
- Considering the inward appearance of someone to date or marry. Do they love Jesus, have godly character, and overflow with love for God and people?
- Seeking biblical counsel on how to be a godly spouse and parent before you get married.
- Making diligent effort to do all things excellently and for God’s glory.
- Being content with what you have, and grateful for everyone and everything God has given you. You acknowledge that all good gifts come from God, including any talent or ability you have.
- Using money to meet your needs and to share generously with others in need.
- Thanking God for the abundant joy and peace that comes from knowing there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NIV)
Are You Ready to Embrace Your True Purpose?
How does one escape the deceitfulness of sin and the fleeting pleasures this world has to offer? The only way of escape begins by humbling ourselves, acknowledging our need of a Savior, turning from sin, and placing our faith in Jesus Christ. Freedom begins with your salvation.
Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. (Acts 3:19, NLT)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23, ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. (Acts 16:31, ESV)
God’s grace, mercy, and compassion are amazing! He not only forgives sinners and gives us eternal life, He becomes our heavenly Father.
But to all who did receive him [Jesus], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, ESV)
As a child of God, we are free to understand and pursue our true purpose in life. That purpose is to know Christ and become more like Him. In that process, we begin to think and act and speak in ways that are honoring to God.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV)
It’s only by living in relationship with God as our most important pursuit that our lives reflect his unceasing love for people. God loves you and wants you to love Him with all your heart.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30, ESV)
There can only be two basic loves, the love of God unto the forgetfulness of self, or the love of self unto the forgetfulness of God. —Augustine
We were made to live in constant communion with our Creator. May your life be filled with the abundance of God’s presence. We are also made to be in fellowship with other believers. Pray and ask God to lead you to a Christ-centered Bible-believing church, if you have not already found one. Be careful, as there is a lot of false teaching out there. Beware of any church that compromises truth and teaches anything contrary to what the Bible says. Wait until you have God’s peace and confirmation that it is a congregation with leadership who truly loves Jesus and the Bible.
I pray that you will embrace your true purpose in life! And I hope you will encourage other Millennials to join in the awakening of your generation. May many see their need for Jesus and the Bible as the answer to life’s challenges.
This article can be found on the website of our ministry, Christlike Dialogue. Here are two additional articles that may be of interest: The Biblical Jesus Offers Hope and Who is Jesus? How to Have Eternal Life