If you read my high school journals, you’d know that I constantly struggled with the question: what is my purpose? To me, purpose was confusing and something that I had to figure out.
I struggled with who I was and what I was supposed to do. (Who hasn’t asked themselves those when growing up?) I was a Christian, but I was acting like I didn’t believe what Jesus did on the cross was enough.
I thought my identity and purpose came from what I would do for God. I didn’t really understand the whole truth was to accept a relationship with Him.
We tend to want what we can earn. This can stem from how we are raised, but mostly it’s human nature to think we need to earn it rather than accept what Jesus did. Like when someone does something nice for us, we tend to think about ways we can pay them back.
I’ve written about purpose before. I want to further clarify what it means to have purpose as Christians. Because our God is not a God of confusion, our purpose is clearly pointed out to us.
Our purpose is to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and love others as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40) Jesus was our perfect example. He loved God and others by doing the will of His father. (John 6:38)
Our purpose goes “according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” and this is because our lives are to “be for the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:11-12)
We love God when we live to glorify Him. This is our purpose.
Once we know our purpose, like really know, everything we do holds meaning and value.
The person who makes your coffee order is a soul who you can love. The crazy littles you babysit you can love. The people in your life right now you can love. And by loving them you are loving God. He says, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
So let’s live out our purpose, because we can know it!
Britney Froese 