The Christian life was never meant to be lived in mediocrity. God means for those who follow Him to live in an extraordinary manner that not only impacts our own lives but the lives of the people around us. And we all cry out for that. In us is an unexplainable urge for purpose.
But purpose, sadly, can often be misunderstood. Culture, society and the flaws of this world have distorted our idea of godly purpose and may sometimes leave us chasing after the wrong things or jumping off the wrong mindsets.
Here are six ways that we have probably misunderstood purpose.
Lie #1: Your Purpose Revolves Around Your Profession
While your vocation comprises a significant part of your God-given purpose, it's not the whole picture. Purpose is more than just what you get paid to do for a living. It's also the relationships you build with family and friends. It's also the things you do outside of office hours and sometimes even without a fee.
Lie #2: Extraordinary Means Rich and Popular
The most commonly accepted definition of successful is "rich and famous," but that's just not how God views things. Some will be called to be influential and prosperous while others will not. But that doesn't mean that the former will have bigger purpose than the latter. Mark 8:36 says, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"
Lie #3: We Lose Our Purpose When We Mess Up
The truth is that no one can pursue their purpose flawlessly. We all make mistakes and we will all fail at one point or another. All the great people in the Bible failed terribly at some point—David, Abraham, Moses, Peter, Paul and so on. Yet God re-established them into their purpose and let His will be done through them.
Lie #4: There's an Age Limit to Purpose
If you are 60 or 70 years old, God can and will use you the way He would use a 20- or 30-year-old believer. God uses anyone and everyone. He used Abraham in His old age and Samuel in His young age. You are never too young or too old to be used mightily by God.
Lie #5: We Are Called to One Purpose Forever
We sometimes think that we are to be zeroed in on one purpose. But our life is actually a big web of various purposes to be fulfilled. God calls us into various seasons of trusting in Him and staying sensitive so that we may hear His call. Some of your purpose today will be fulfilled way before the end of your life and God will add more as you remain faithful.
Lie #6: It's Only About the Destination, Not the Journey
Purpose isn't just about what's waiting for us at the end of our lifetime, but also what we experience along the way. It's also about the people we meet, small wins we accomplish and big trials we overcome. Purpose is the whole book, not just the "happily ever after."
