What is your purpose in life? Do you have purpose?

Secular psychology tells us we can find purpose and meaning in our lives by looking within ourselves. The solution is to ask yourself a series of questions like, “What inspires ME? What problem do I want to solve? What are MY skills? What are MY experiences? What am I willing to do to achieve MY goals?”

Notice a pattern? It’s all about ME.

I do agree that discovering our purpose is important, and that it is an individual pursuit (we are all uniquely created with different interests, talents, and experiences). But if our pursuit of purpose remains centered on ourselves, we might achieve some great things by the world’s standards, but completely miss the real meaning and purpose for which God gave us life.

You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than a single eye to your Lord’s glory.

– C.H. Spurgeon

It is a gift from God to realize our “one-short-life-to-live” purpose is inextricably linked to God’s sovereign, eternal purpose for all mankind.

Jesus came with a purpose. He entered the created world with a mission in mind.

Luke 19:10 – For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Jesus’ mission was fueled by one over-arching purpose: to glorify His Father. His obedience in surrendering to the cross to purchase our atonement and redemption was to fulfill the Father’s purpose, not His own. He yielded His will to the Father’s will so that the Father might be glorified. (Read John 17).

 As human beings created in the image of God, our purpose is to display the glory of God, just as Jesus did. Describing Jesus’ attitude and ultimate obedience, even to death on the cross, Paul shows us a few practical ways to do this.

 Philippians 2:2 – Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

The same mind … Believers think like Jesus, for we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:16 – For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

The same love … Believers love like Jesus, by laying down our lives.

1 John 3:16 – We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

The same spirit … Believers are united in Jesus, “of one accord.”

Romans 15:5-6 – Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The same purpose … Believers preach the gospel like Jesus, proclaiming His mission.

Colossians 1:28-29 – We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

Jesus knew His purpose, and fulfilled it, resulting in the glory of God.

Philippians 2:9-11 – For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Knowing who you are in Christ (a new creation), and why you exist on this earth (to glorify God) provides real purpose. This is a gift from God.

Have you realized your purpose or are you simply sliding through life a day at a time, hoping you’ll finally figure out what it’s all about? If you look within yourself, you’ll only be disappointed. Accept the gift God offers and find your true purpose.