A Life Of Purpose

LAST MOTHER’S DAY, my sweet, creative granddaughter Abby made me a pretty blue stand-alone P for Pam.

“But, Grandma,” she explained, “P also stands for purpose.” She pointed to the statement she had written with a marker on the P: “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” Quite profound for a twelve-year-old!

Do you have a purpose? Purpose gives our lives meaning, a reason to wake up in the morning and keep going despite challenges. Some people find the perfect Scripture verse to define their purpose, while others have more than one purpose. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Purpose involves our natural abilities, spiritual gifts, creativity, and season in life, and our purpose can change over time.

My husband is sure of his purpose. Since I first met Bob in college, he has been passionate about getting the gospel to the lost. Those who know him well have no doubt about his purpose, one that keeps him keeping on despite the pain of Parkinson’s.

When our son Peter was in college, he echoed his dad’s purpose to impact people with the gospel. He intentionally engaged new students, inviting them to join him in activities like Frisbee toss and, later, Bible studies and Christian gatherings. Peter taught campus Bible studies and served two years after graduation on a campus ministry staff. His dual purpose in college resulted in both an engineering degree and the transformation of many students’ lives through the gospel.

My purpose hasn’t always been quite as clear as my husband’s. When I was homeschooling five children on the mission field, my multiple purposes were right in front of me and hard to ignore, and I had little time to deviate from that calling. My family has been an all-consuming purpose, one I am so thankful for. Over the years, my responsibilities shifted as my children grew up, and now God has given me a new sense of purpose through different ministry opportunities. Your purpose might be obvious, like Bob’s, or less clear and changing over time, like mine. We all have a variety of responsibilities and occupations that require our time and attention.

Although my friend Jordan has been offered more prestigious jobs, she chooses to serve in one that aligns with her purpose to demonstrate the love of Christ through her varied efforts. Lorie and Sue both teach God’s Word to children, who respond to my friends’ ability to communicate truth on their level. Tiffany is young and Dottie is retired, but both share the purpose of meeting the practical needs of people in their families, churches, and communities. Whitney, my literary agent, and Katie, my speaker’s agent, are both cheerful, energetic working moms. Their jobs provide purpose for them as they use their people skills and discernment to schedule impactful writing and speaking opportunities for their clients—including me, whose purpose is to encourage women by sharing biblical truth and relatable stories.

It’s never too late to discover your purpose. When my mother turned seventy, she lamented that she had no purpose, but my two daughters and I encouraged her that God can give us purpose at any age. We made specific suggestions that connected Mom’s abilities and passions with her current activities, and she soon became chaplain of her women’s club and invited her friends to join her as she ministered to seamen who were docked in their town. Most were foreigners who were receptive to gospel booklets and homemade cookies. Mom also joined a group that made items to raise money for women dealing with cancer. Purpose enriched her life and the lives of those she impacted until she left us for heaven at age eighty-six.

My passion is encouraging others, but what is yours? The Lord gives us special abilities to use for building others up. We all have different gifts and purposes, and the beauty is that they all work together in God’s larger purpose of redemption. As Ephesians 4:16 says, “The whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” It’s not a pride thing; it’s a service thing. Only God could put a plan in place for us to use our gifts to bless others. In return, we are also blessed!

REFLECTION

What do you dream about? What do you do well that blesses others? What motivates you and makes you smile? How do your friends describe you? As you seek to discover your purpose, you will find that usually your spiritual gift is involved: your God-given ability to teach, serve, give, encourage, evangelize, help, and more. Our purpose really is to live a life of purpose! Review the passages on spiritual gifts (especially Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12) and ask the Lord to enable you to use the gifts He has given you to invest in the lives of others who need what you have to offer.