Are You Living by Design or by Default?
By Erin Monahan
Have you ever prayed about your life’s purpose? In other words, have you ever asked God why on earth you’re here?
Depending on your faith background, you might wince at this idea. Or maybe you welcome it. Perhaps you’re somewhere in-between wincing and welcoming. You’re curious, but not convinced.
Why would you want to pray about your life’s purpose?
So glad you asked!
In this article, we’ll consider how a little bit of curiosity, creativity and courage can help you find your God-given (and God-driven) purpose. Your purpose is the “why” you give to the world. Why do you do what you do? Your mission, on the other hand, is what drives you every day to accomplish your purpose.
Creating a healthy, wholistic life that’s meaningful starts with your purpose.
Messy & Mundane
First, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room. Life is messy! And it’s often painful. It’s also filled with lots of mundane moments. You know, those gnawing, gnarly details that sap our time and attention, such as cleaning the house, gassing up the car, paying taxes, answering emails, doing laundry, carpooling the kids, taking out the trash, and so on.
On a scale from 1 to 10 — with 10 being epically exciting — most people would probably rank such humdrum activities toward the lower end. Of course, it doesn’t matter how we feel about doing tedious tasks. They’re essential. They must be done, regardless.
Many of us also wrestle with the ho-hum habits of earning a paycheck. A typical workday for the average American tends to look much like all the other days. We get up, go to work, come home, and go to bed. Get up, go to work, come home, go to bed. If you’re a stay-at-home mom or dad, you also experience days that are long and similar. Plus, you don’t get a paycheck or any time off.
Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Sun… you get the picture.
No matter what your situation is, it’s easy to get lost in the daily grind. Before we know it, our days blur into weeks, then months, then years.
There’s gotta be more to life than this, right?
Searching for life’s purpose is a natural part of the human condition. We all need a reason to get out of bed! Thankfully, there are many reasons to stop hitting the snooze button.
Follow Your Curiosity
If you count yourself among the 2.38 billion Christians in the world, then you know your life is much bigger than your daily routine. The Bible teaches us that we are here for a unique purpose. From Genesis to Revelation, we learn that we were made by God and for God.
Consider this verse: Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version) – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
If you’re not a Christian, then this approach to life may sound super strange. That’s understandable, because our culture teaches us to find our purpose by focusing on ourselves. We ask self-centered questions, like: What do I want? What should I do with my life? What are my goals and my dreams?
That approach to living starts to unravel when you realize that achieving all of your personal goals is not the same thing as fulfilling your life’s purpose. When you understand this truth, your life will take on a divine rhythm.
Here are a few simple ways to begin discovering your purpose:
1. Pray.
Living a purposeful life requires your attention. You must be deliberate, or else you’ll get distracted. Thankfully, you don’t have to be a Bible scholar to learn how to live out your purpose. You can talk to God about it.
Some of us get caught up in the mystery of prayer. It seems lofty. We’re taught that we have to say certain words and strike certain poses (e.g., hands together, eyes closed, head down, on your knees, etc.). There’s nothing wrong with prayer rituals, if that’s your preference. And there’s no “right way” to pray to the God of the Christian Bible.
Prayer is highly individual and intimate. It’s simply a conversation with God. Talking and listening. It might help to imagine God sitting in a chair next to you and you’re engaging with Him like you would any other friend. Talking and listening.
Don’t worry if you have a hard time hearing from God. It will get easier. The more you do it, the better you get.
2. Read and Study.
According to the Guiness Book of World Records, the best-selling non-fiction book of all time is the Christian Bible. Research suggests the total number of copies sold is between 5 and 7 billion.
The Bible is literally our instruction book for life. Reading and studying it are essential practices, if you want to live out your purpose. If you’re an auditory learner, you can also listen to the Bible. Check out the popular Youversion Bible App. And if you’re new to the Bible, this article on Crosswalk.com can help you figure out where to begin.
Some people find the Bible hard to understand. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. Interpreting the nuances and contexts takes time. You may find it helpful to complement your Bible study with other tools, such as a Bible dictionary, concordance and Bible atlas.
There are also many books that can help you understand what you’re reading. High on this book list is “The Purpose Driven Life” by Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren.
Since its publication in 2002, “The Purpose Driven Life” has been translated into 137 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in multiple formats. This best-selling book affects people of all different backgrounds in all parts of the world, including American celebrities.
For example,
Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps said “The Purpose Driven Life” saved him from committing suicide. Read the Christian Post article here.
Singer and actress Selena Gomez, who is Christian, said she’s read “The Purpose Driven Life” three times so far. Read the Vogue article here.
“The Purpose Driven Life” made a pivotal appearance in the 2015 movie “Captive,” a true story about a single mom struggling with drug addiction and the fugitive man who held her hostage. Watch the movie trailer here.
3. Take the S.H.A.P.E. Test.
Pastor Warren also created the popular S.H.A.P.E. test and assessment tool to help you discover the five things that make you unique:
Spiritual gifts - What natural gifts do you possess?
Heart - What do you love to do?
Abilities - What are your talents and skills?
Personality - What is your natural approach to life and relationships?
Experiences - What experiences have molded you into who you are today?
Your SHAPE reveals who God made you to be and what He intends for you to do. The S.H.A.P.E. test and assessment will help you to discover your purpose in life. Anyone can take the test for free at https://www.freeshapetest.com.
For example, let’s say you’re a gifted singer. And your purpose is to rescue abused and abandoned animals. What if you offered to sing at a local humane society fundraising event? Or what if you created a business that partnered with animal rescue organizations and recorded compelling songs and voice-overs for them to use at adoption events and on social media?
It’s important to make time to ponder the possibilities.
Consider the Ripple Effect
It takes courage and conviction to live a purposeful life. Why? Because resisting the influences from our culture and other people is hard. It's much easier to go along with the crowd and live in default mode.
Of course, discovering your purpose doesn’t mean you get to avoid the messy and mundane aspects of life. And your purpose doesn’t prevent you from pain. It does, however, give you permission to set boundaries. To take stock. To hold your life up to
the light to see if it makes sense. To consistently ask yourself: “Does this choice align with my purpose?”
Remember, your choices here on earth will have a ripple effect in eternity. So choose wisely!
Next Steps
Creating a healthy, wholistic life starts with understanding why on earth you’re here. With a little bit of courage and creativity, you can discover how to live out your purpose. It takes time, so be patient with yourself!
What gifts and talents could you begin sharing with your community? What if you brainstormed ideas with people you trust, or conducted little experiments to figure out what fits you?
Are you interested to learn more? The providers at Wholistic Wellness Services would love to help you get started. Contact them for an appointment.
Erin Monahan is a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach and Health Writer based in central Indiana. Find her at healthcoachcollective.com, LinkedIn and Instagram @ erinmariehealthcoach. All photos by Erin Monahan. The information, ideas and conversations provided in this content are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, prescription, diagnosis, or treatment. Any application of the information, ideas and conversations provided is at your discretion and is your sole responsibility.
References
Most Christian Countries 2022 (2022, May 27). World Population Review. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-christian-countries
Best-Selling Book (2022, May 27). Guinness World Records. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction
Gruenewald, B. (2008). YouVersion Bible App (Version 9.9) [Mobile App]. App Store. https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/
Jones, D. (2019, January 30). The Beginner’s Guide to Reading the Bible. Crosswalk.com https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/the-beginner-s-guide-to-reading-the-bible.html
Warren, R. (2002). The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? Zondervan.
Zaimov, S. (2016, August 5). Olympic Swimming Star Michael Phelps Says Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life Saved Him From Suicide. The Christian Post. https://www.christianpost.com/news/olympic-swimming-star-michael-phelps-says-rick-warrens-purpose-driven-life-saved-him-from-suicide-167539
Tolentino, J. (2021, March 9). Selena Gomez on Politics, Faith, and Making the Music of Her Career. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/selena-gomez-cover-april-2021
Jameson, J. (Director). (2015). Captive [Film]. BN Films; 1019 Entertainment; Brightside Entertainment; Itaca Films; Yoruba Saxon Productions.
Got Purpose? S.H.A.P.E. Test (2022, May 27) https://www.freeshapetest.com