Young adulthood is such an important and transformative time of life. Many of us are figuring out what we want our life’s work to involve or establishing the foundations for our future. It’s filled with uncertainty and oftentimes, leads us to question our purpose. As Christians, our purpose is not necessarily what the world says it is, and given the influential nature of our society, it’s not hard to lose sight of our God-given purpose.
This world often emphasizes purpose and identity in things that are temporal and will eventually cease to exist. As children of God, we must be cautious not to let our purpose be defined by these fleeting aspects.
Doing so can lead to a life characterized by a constant pursuit of “the next thing,” an endless chase with no clear destination, and a futile quest for less fulfilling pursuits. On the other hand, a life that isn’t guided by God’s purpose can lead to living life aimlessly, merely going through the motions of life without striving for anything at all. God created us for a far more significant and enduring purpose. Every single individual is created for a purpose, and everyone is created with a glorious destiny – Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” As His children, we are called to love God and follow His commandments, bringing glory to Him in everything we do on Earth, and embracing this purpose in God brings a unique sense of peace, assurance, and fulfillment to our lives, much more so than ascribing to the world’s ideas of what true purpose is. Romans 8:28 says, “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.”
At times, we may not know exactly what God’s purpose is for our lives. But through pursuing our ambitions and goals, asking God to reveal to us our purpose, and being willing to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, we will slowly begin to see what He has destined for our lives. So, we should use the gifts and talents that God has given us to benefit those around us and to glorify Him. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
Certainly, having aspirations and goals that we work hard to achieve is not a negative thing. Throughout history, Christians have been responsible for many advancements in the world, which would not have been possible without ambition and hard work.
However, our understanding of purpose should be rooted in acknowledging that His plans and desires for our lives are more significant than what we can achieve of our own accord. We should always include God in our plans and approach our work, no matter what it is, as if we are doing it for Him cheerfully and heartily, as the verse above says. Not everyone is called to be a pastor or work directly in ministry; many of us have unique places where we can fulfill God’s purpose and serve Him in wonderful ways. The key is to keep God at the center of our work so that what we do brings Him joy.
As we navigate this world and its messaging that often goes contrary to God’s will, I pray that God will continuously align us with His purpose for our lives. And I pray that we find peace in the fact that we are living our purpose every day merely by communing with God and acknowledging Him in all we do.
