Written by Erin Grant
The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose.
Rick Warren inscribed this in his bestseller “The Purpose Driven Life,” and it truly emphasizes the importance of purpose in living in ways not many of us tend to think. In some respects, a purposeless life may even be a dead one, because there is nothing for which we live.
Ultimately, the question of purpose confronts all of us at some point in our lives, perhaps even more strongly at this time of year. Confusion and turmoil predominate in college campuses. Fear-inducing final exams loom as freshman first semester draws to an end; majors are uncertainly chosen out of necessity and new graduates will soon nervously face a world of possibilities and stark unfamiliarity. All throughout, we are left to wonder: What is our purpose? How do we find it?
We must recognize that God created us inherently with a purpose. However, sometimes He slowly draws back the curtain rather than throw it wide open, working in momentary glimpses rather than inspiring revelations. But He will only reveal this purpose if we allow Him to do so.
Psalm 37:4 eloquently remarks, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
When we draw nearer to God, coming fully into His presence and allowing Him to take hold of our lives, to shape them and to mold them into His originally intended design, it is then that our lives begin to become more like He who created them.
Our hearts begin to beat as one with His; His loves become our passions, His dismays our righteous indignations, and the desires of His heart become the deepest longings of ours. It is then that we walk step in step with Him and can then begin to fulfill the purposes He has for us.
So it is only truly when we delight ourselves completely in His presence, when we become close to Him and continue to draw nearer, that He will give us the desires of our hearts because our hearts then parallel more closely with His own.
This is how we find our purpose in Him.
So, first it must be asked: How close is your present walk with God? The answer may very well determine your view on what your purpose is at this point.
Secondly, what is your purpose? What is it that you desire to do? Where do your talents, gifts and passions lie? God has given you these capabilities, desires, drives and passions for a reason; use them for His glory.
Lastly, here is your charge: Regardless of all else, strive to find and to fulfill your purpose. The easy choice remains to drift with the events life presents, but in doing so, you inevitably take the easy path of flow. Do not take the easy choice.
T.E. Lawrence spoke powerfully when he said, “All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.” Which kind of dreamer are you?
