Do we really need to bother with such questions? Weren't we put here to achieve as much success as we can, earn as much money as we can, enjoy the fruits of our labour as much as we can, and be happy as much as we can?
In my years of working in the corporate world, I have seen many highly successful professionals who seem to have it all in their career and life, but tell me that they feel empty and unfulfilled. They yearn to experience a passionate ache in their soul, but they feel that they might lose their identity without their job and the status that comes with it. And when circumstances at work force them into outplacement or they leave their job, they feel a deep sense of loss and a void because they no longer have any measurable purpose. Despite the professional and material achievements they have, they start to question the meaning of their existence in this world and why they are not happy. And what about the many working professionals who are so dissatisfied with their jobs, yet they choose to cruise along just working to survive? Some stay simply because it’s a hassle to change jobs or they just don't know what else they can do. They don't even have time to daydream about how to get involved with a cause that is bigger than themselves, often referred to in the coaching world as a "burden on their heart."
God, our Creator, designed each one of us to be gifted in our unique way, and we are meant to be His vessel, carrying out the specific purpose for which He created for us. When we spend our life pursuing worldly goals (e.g., career advancement, making money, and success), without anchoring our lives in His Plan, we soon realize that we are unfulfilled and aimless, even though we seem to have it all.
King Solomon was the wisest and wealthiest man of all time; he had all there was to have on this earth. However, in his old age, when he turned away from God, he found everything in this world to be “meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).
The way to secure our unique life purpose is to draw close to our Creator. We are truly “lost sheep” when we are not following our shepherd’s leading. We might appear to be “happy sheep,” enjoying the freedom of moving around freely, thinking this is what we desire. The truth is, though, this happiness does not last. Very soon, it disappears like the wind, and we find ourselves feeling discontent and dissatisfied.
Finding purpose in our life need not be at the end of our career or at the stage of our retirement. People who know their life purpose, and who are in a career that supports them in serving a greater purpose beyond their work tend to have greater satisfaction in their career. These people tend to be better equipped to handle setbacks in their career and life compared to others who mainly pursue the worldly goals of status, money and fame.
As Christian evangelist Billy Graham said, “End your journey well. Don’t waste your life, and don’t be satisfied with anything less than God’s plan.”
And, let’s not forget what Pastor Rick Warren has to say about the importance of having a life purpose, “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.”
The Significance Project is a discipleship course that incorporates life-coaching methods along with facilitators and personal peer coaches to help participants discover their personal mission. We believe having a personal mission statement helps you stay grounded in what God has called you to do, and this influences every facet of your life.
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