What Is My Purpose?

I think this is the question for the ages. People with good intentions can agonize over this question their entire life and never find the answer that fits into what they believe their purpose is.

But is this question really that hard? There are many layers to this question, but the root of the question is basically simple.

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven this was His parting words. He didn’t tell His followers how to make a lot of money. He didn’t give them political advice. He didn’t give them a mission to broaden their geographical area and take out the Romans. He didn’t command them to get married and have kids.

He called them to go and make disciples.

This is the purpose and the mission given by Jesus for each of our lives. This is our made for this. This is our reason for living.

It may sound disheartening and so far away from the American dream, but Jesus wasn’t an American. And we in America have taken our eyes off of the mighty Jesus and put our focus on the unmighty dollar instead.

Some people may not like this answer to this philosophical question, but to me it’s as simple as just that.

Go and make disciples.

So if you look at your life…take a hard look oat your last week…last month…last few years. Do you see seeds you have planted to impact the next generation? Or is your field a dry and weary wasteland? Or better yet is your field your American dream backyard that you mow each week and do little else with?

I said this question fundamentally has layers to it though. At the core the question is easily answered by Jesus’ command. But the way we go and make disciples is uniquely different.

I heard someone ask, if you could do anything with your life if money wasn’t an option, what would you do?

Have you asked yourself that question?

Go ahead and ask and ponder. If you didn’t have to work. If money wasn’t needed. If someone handed you a blank check and said do whatever you want for the rest of your life. What would you do?

If you have an answer here is the remarkable thing. Everyone probably has a different one. Because we are all different. God created us unique to fulfill His mission through us in uniquely different ways.

See where I’m going?

So, you may say if you could do anything you would paint all the time. Or you may be the person who says I would hunt and fish 365 days a year. Or you may say I would cook and bake every day.

Follow me…please do not stop reading.

So if you have an idea of what you would do if money wasn’t an option, are you doing it now at a lesser scale? If you love to paint, do you paint on your free time? If you love soccer do you play on an adult league? If you love music do you play when time allows?

The interesting thing about adults is many of us have dreams we would like to achieve but our excuses always jump ahead. I’ve talked with many people and few people are doing the thing they love to do because one excuse or another excuse.

But at the end of the day everyone has excuses. But it’s your decision to listen to the excuses and let that pessimistic attitude dictate your life or overcome them.

Do you see how you can use your hour here and hour there to go and make disciples doing the thing you love to do. Because you are not so unique that there isn’t anyone else out there who enjoys running, singing, woodworking, scrapbooking, leather working or writing.

We are called to go and make disciples. Not go and get good at playing guitar in your bedroom so no one else can enjoy it.

So what if your passion, your enjoyment, your reason to smile can morph into your purpose for making disciples?

We are not called to walk through life alone. We are called to encourage, build up, teach, baptize, love, spread the Good news, show compassion, give of our time, be hospitable, and share of our talents and dreams.

That is how we go from being a child of God to being a vessel for Him.

If you’re a child of God there is going to come a time when you are going to have to put your money where your mouth is and walk the walk and talk the talk.

And if you can use what God has gifted you with, that will just make the journey that much more enjoyable.

So once again.

What is your purpose? Just as Jesus commanded to go and make disciples.

And how do we do that? However God created you to love doing it.

And when do you start? Today could be the start of a beautiful, exciting adventure.

Peace

__ATA.cmd.push(function() { __ATA.initDynamicSlot({ id: 'atatags-26942-62cac67af0584', location: 120, formFactor: '001', label: { text: 'Advertisements', }, creative: { reportAd: { text: 'Report this ad', }, privacySettings: { text: 'Privacy', } } }); });