Purpose Of Life Or Life Of Purpose

“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.” – Acts 17:27-28.

If you would ask some people on the street what their purpose in life was, you would get some of the usual suspects as answers. Some would suggest our purpose is to find happiness. Others say our purpose is to love others, to become the best version of ourselves, or to follow God’s will. Still others would argue there is no purpose to life at all. Acts 17:27-28 provides the answer for those who are followers of Jesus: Our purpose originated and is being transformed through the person of Jesus Christ and God’s infallible and unchanging Word.

Each one of our lives are driven by something; success, fame, money, possessions and in some cases by guilt, worry or fear, insecurity, anger, or greed. God wants us to be purpose driven people, driven by His plan, His purpose for our lives. That’s where meaning and significance come. Psalm 57:2 says, “I cry out to God Most High,  to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.”

Before God even planned the world, He planned you. When He planned you, He planned your purpose even before you were born. When you fulfill your life purpose it honors God. Jesus was a purpose driven person. He said in John 17:4, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” Ephesians 1:9-10 adds, “God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.” Add to that 2 Timothy:1:9: ”For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.” 

At the end of the day trust God. Trying to discover your life purpose can be a stressful, overwhelming thing. It can seem like such a big, confusing, frustrating subject. You want to move forward, but you’re not sure how. You want to find your purpose, but you feel like you’re aimlessly wandering.

But you can trust God to lead you where he wants you to go. As Psalm 23:2-3 says, “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

You may feel confused, but God isn’t.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you believe is your purpose in life?
2. What distractions or influences are keeping you focused on your problem and not your purpose?