What Is My Purpose

What is my purpose?  That is a common question people have.  That is a great question to ask but the problem is people have a major misconception about what the answer will entail.  

The problem arises when we assume that the purpose is directly tied to what we should be doing.  We find our value in what we accomplish and try to tie our purpose to what we do.  We see this in how we start up conversations with new people.  One of the first questions we ask is "What do you do?" It normally comes right after "How are you?" (If you missed it, check out my post I'm Okay, You're Okay where I talk about that question)  Our identity can get so tied up in how we answer that question.  

If you want to know the purpose of something you have to go to the creator of the thing.  I can go to the hardware store and I can buy any tool I want.  I can buy the best miter saw they have.  If I do not assemble it correctly, put the proper blade on for the job I am doing, and pay attention to the directions it is not going to cut anything.  At best, it will destroy my building material, and worse I could really hurt myself.  I could do everything correctly and have great results cutting molding for my walls.  However, if I try to use the same saw blade to cut the tile for my shower I am going to end up with a disaster.  If I want good results and to keep all my body parts connected I need to follow the directions the creator of the saw provided.  I need to use the tool the way the creator intended.  

It is the same with our lives.  We can live our lives any way we want.  We can do whatever we want.  However, if we want to not destroy everything we have built and cause damage to ourselves and those around us, we need to live our lives the way the creator intended us to.  The way we find that out is we read the directions that he provided.  It is called the Bible.  

The first thing we find out is that the primary purpose that God intended for us is to be in relationship.  We see in Genesis 1 that all three persons of the trinity our at work in relationship with one another.  Jesus said that "the Father and I are one" (John 10:30).  John 1 again shows us the relationship "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."  If we see God living in relationship and we are made in his image then we are also created for relationship.  We are created for relationship with God and relationship for others.  God said in Genesis "It is not good for man to be alone."  God then declares a relationship with man and all of creation (Genesis 1:26)  So our first purpose that God gives us is to be in relationship with him, each other, and creation.  (For more about being in relationship with creation you can read my post called Enjoying God)

At the end of the creation week God rested and established the Sabbath, a day of rest.  God rested after his work but commands us to rest before we work.  Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath and so we are to rest in Jesus.  The work we do, the serving we do, and when we help others all flows from our rest in Jesus.  Ephesians 2:10 tells us we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works."  The key is "in Christ Jesus."  It is an outflow of our relationship with him not the source of our relationship with him.  

Our purpose is to rest in our relationship with Jesus and from that "do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  We don't create the work.  We are not trying to impress God with what we come up to do.  God does not call us to a life of performance.  When you try out for a play there are callbacks.  With Jesus there are no callbacks.  Jesus is not calling us to perform he calls us to relationship.  

One last verse as I wrap this up: Romans 8:28 "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."  This verse is ranked near the top of the list of misused verses in the Bible.  Notice it does not say "for my purpose."  It does not say "for your purpose."  It says "his purpose."  Understanding the things we are going through and understanding our purpose often comes from reflection and looking back.  However, in order to move forward We need to stop looking for our purpose and focus on loving God and resting in the fact that we are "called according to his purpose."   

What is my purpose is a great question.  The answer is not found in the what it is found in the who.

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