Discover Your Purpose
Living a life of purpose--while a popular idea today--is as old as the onset of humanity. Living a life of purpose is more than a good idea--it’s God’s idea.
Right after God created humanity as his image (which we began to explore in the first post of this series), check out what he does next:
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:28, NIV).
Purpose is hardwired into humanity--it always has been and always will be--and it is more than accumulating and accomplishing. Purpose, as God infused it into our DNA, is dynamic and yet can be summed up in one word: representation.
As the image of God, humanity by its very nature is responsible to represent God to the rest of creation. Whether we like it or not, whether we intend to or not, as humans we represent God wherever we go and by whatever we do. We represent God accurately when we live life with him and in accordance with his ways--which brings God glory. We misrepresent God when we go our way instead of his way--which is why God hates sin (we knew what was right and yet we did what was wrong).
As you’d expect, we represent God most accurately when we are in a relationship with him--a relationship made possible by him through Jesus!
In the passage above, God brings direction to our purpose.
Multiply: First, we are to “be fruitful and increase in number, [and] fill the earth,” which is all about multiplying God’s representation in creation. Initially, this entailed having babies because every baby born was (and is) another representative of God to the rest of creation. But now Jesus has brought a fuller expression to this element of our purpose when he commissioned his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations…” by baptizing them and teaching them to obey his ways (Matt. 28:19a). We fulfill our purpose when we invite others to experience a relationship with God, like the one we have, through Jesus.
Rule: Second, we are to subdue the earth and rule over all living creatures. Here, we represent God by the way we cultivate and care for his creation. Again, Jesus brought clarity to this element of our purpose. Jesus was (and is) all about ushering in the Kingdom of God--the rule and reign of God which makes right what sin has made wrong. Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God when he healed the sick, combatted injustice, cast out demons, raised the dead, and forgave sin--among other things. A key element of our purpose is joining Jesus in his work--such as caring for the outcast, fighting human trafficking, feeding the poor, etc.
The American Dream holds up wealth and work as the quintessential life of significance. However, ask any millionaire or CEO, and they will tell you that it is not all that it is cracked up to be. Because wealth and work are not the end-all; they are a means to an end.
Imagine leveraging your resources and skillset to make not just an impact in this world, but an impact in eternity--this is the life Jesus invites us to live! Here are three practical steps to take to living a life of purpose:
Connect with Jesus. The only way we can effectively represent God accurately over the long haul is through Jesus. While we may do some good on our own, our sin holds us back from the eternal impact we are capable of. Want to connect with God? Connect with Jesus.
Connect people with Jesus. Sure, go have some babies--being a parent is a privilege. But whether it is your own kids, your coworker, or your neighbor, go make disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus--multiplication is where movements are born.
Discover and exercise your gifts. God gives everyone skills and abilities, so use yours for the good of others and glory of God. Followers of Jesus are also gifted by the Holy Spirit to build up the Church and expand God’s kingdom. There are countless spiritual gift assessments available on the internet, but if you truly want to explore your spiritual gifting, it has to be done in community. Discovering and exercising our spiritual gifts is not sequential; it’s simultaneous. God uses his community (the Church) to identify your spiritual gifts, and it is in and for his Church that you are expected to exercise your gifts. Want to discover your spiritual gifts? Connect with a church and start serving; listen for how others experience God move through you; then pour fuel on that flame to have the greatest impact.
Our purpose flows from our identity. When we try to go in reverse, we spin our wheels. Connect with Jesus, connect with people, and connect people with Jesus. This is full life. This is a life of significance.
Reflection Questions:
What did I learn?
What action step am I going to take?
With whom am I going to share this?