Purpose

What's my purpose in life? Some people search it out. Others avoid it like the plague. I think it would be safe to say that very few people actually come to the conclusion that they will, are in the process of, or have completed their purpose in life. Then there are some who think they have no purpose - they may or may not be bothered by this - who simply try to enjoy life as best as they can.

Being the opinionated person that I am, I have a few thoughts on the matter. I guess you might say I'm presupposing God in all of this. But I'm fine with that since I gave you all fair warning.

1) Could it be that we do not have one single purpose in life? It seems much more plausible that we have infinite amounts of small purposes. If we think in this manner then we can see how we fit in the world much more readily. Our small acts of kindness can really be part of our purpose for being alive. I could have a purpose of smiling at someone, of doing my job well, of getting 8 hours of sleep. Life is more meaningful if you see purpose in everything you do.

2) Perhaps we are searching for a single vision for our lives, something to shape our purposes around. A vision would mean we center our life around some core values, like fighting poverty, raising a family, or contributing to a functioning society. I think this is fine as long as it does not narrow our focus so much that we forget what is on the periphery of that vision. I think of the pastor who becomes so engrossed in the work of the church that he neglects his family. And sometimes if we have no vision for our purposes in life then we fail to center our life on anything except our own selfish desires, which is dangerous in and of itself.

3) For people of faith the most obvious purpose of your life is to contribute to your church. That means giving of your time, money, and energy to help your local or global body of believers. I think of my retired grandfather who volunteers at his church by doing gardening and picking up trash. Not only does it keep him fit but it serves those people he cares about. So perhaps the first thing you should do if you are questioning your purpose(s) is to look how you might serve your church. Even just one hour a week might bring some inner peace to your life.

4) A job is not a calling. I'm stealing that line from my professor. But I have to agree. As you can see from above, I don't view my purpose in life to be limited to my vocation. In truth I have been fortunate to pursue a career path where I will in fact be able to offer back something to others and to my church. But I look around me and I see that people are living lives that are much bigger than their careers. If you are looking for a purpose in life, try your best to avoid making your job your purpose - it will most likely lead to burnout and workaholism.

5) Building on #4: think globally, act locally. Again, I'm stealing that line, I forget where it's from. But start thinking about what you can get passionate about. Then start making an impact in that area close to home. You won't be able to get passionate about everything, I'm well aware that I just don't get passionate about fixing some problems in the world even if I recognize how tragic they are. But I focus on what I'm passionate about and I start to implement change close to home.

6) Don't neglect those close to you. Again, you have purposeS in life not just one purpose. You will soon realize how much you need your family; but maybe not until divorce papers are before you. So just make sure to do a reality check every once in awhile. The biggest impact you can make in the world is usually on your own family. Treasure that delicate gift. Treat them well.

Okay that's all the preaching I can dish out tonight. I hope it bestows some hope on you.