Have you ever tried to describe your purpose to someone?

It’s such a large, all-encompassing topic that it feels like trying to describe where the universe begins and ends. After all, there’s a universe of purpose, passion, and desire within each of us—within our souls.

Or, in the words of the Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, “Two wonders I observe: the starry universe above and the moral universe within.”

Through the work of contemporary thought leaders like Simon Sinek, Victor Strecher, and Jay Shetty, I’ve learned that purpose can be roughly defined this way:

A vision for your life that lays out what you will give to the world and to whom you will give.

Purposefully SelfLESS

Did you see that “purpose” is inherently selfless?

“Purpose” tells the story of your life and ironically, even in your own world you should not always be the hero.

Legendary screenwriter, author, and “story consultant,” Robert McKee would tell you that every great story has a hero and a guide. When it comes to your purpose, you play the role of guide to help others along their way towards the good life.

And this is what distinguishes “purpose” from “passion.”

Passions live within us and are unique to our needs and desires. Purpose, on the other hand, is a channeling of our passions and God-given gifts for the good of “the other.”

I love the way Jay Shetty differentiates between “passion” and “purpose:”

“Your passion is for you. Your purpose is for others.”

Put another way, the purpose of your purpose is to serve the world.

The Bible on Purpose

What does the Bible have to say about what purpose is? Or what our purpose is?

In addition to the word “purpose” itself, two synonyms for “purpose” found in the Bible are “will” (i.e., God’s will) and “vision.”

Proverbs 29:18 in the old school, King James translation says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”

Of the many passages that speak to God’s “will,” there are many that speak to its selfless nature:

• Matthew 6:10 – “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
• Romans 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

If you do a complete survey of the Bible, you’ll find that purpose, vision, or God’s will begins with trusting God is GOOD, He is God (i.e., we are not), and is fully embodied in the person of Jesus.

Examining our Purpose

Next week, we’ll talk about how to refine and clarify our purpose, but today I have a different challenge for you.

I want you to consider to what extent your purpose in life is about you.

And I don’t mean only what you SAY your purpose is, I mean how you live your purpose.

In how you spend your money, time, and energy, what would others who observe your life say your purpose is?

Would your daily efforts illustrate a purpose that points towards your Creator? Towards the service and good of others?

When you’ve set your mind on God or when you’ve served others in the past, what did your life look like? What could have been said about your purpose in those moments?

These questions are designed to help you reflect and calibrate. Each day, we need to ask ourselves, “For what and whom am I living for?”

Today, examine the universe within yourself and ask the Lord for what purpose He has made you—what will you give as you are present with God and others?