Every one of us at one point in our lives have either asked or pondered this question: why? Why am I here? Why was I born? Why was I even created? Our young people getting involved with more and more violence…why? People in general seemingly have no sense of direction…why? I have come to the conclusion that the answer to this “why” question is one simple word: Purpose.
The word purpose carries the idea of something set up as an end to be attained. The word purpose also denotes an intention or a plan. It literally means: “laying the plan out beforehand like a blueprint” and this plan is the direct result of a deliberate determination. Simply put, purpose is why the thing is; the reason for its existence. In his book In Pursuit of Purpose, the late Dr. Myles Munroe, perhaps the most influential voice on topic of purpose in his generation, defined purpose as “the original intent for the creation of a thing”.
Therefore, if purpose is the reason for the existence of a thing – the why of something, then that would mean everything and everyone has a why. Plants, ants, and even roaches have a why. Although we may not know what that why is, it does not negate the fact that there is a why. If we were to eradicate all the roaches we would find out soon enough due to the resulting imbalance in the eco-system that there was a reason for the existence of roaches. In the same manner, you as a human being, have a why. There is something that needed to be accomplished in your generation which required you to do it. That is why babies are never mistakes; they maybe surprises to their parents but they are never a mistake. Something in your generation makes you necessary to be in the world. I am convinced that if a person dies without fulfilling that purpose, there will be an imbalance in the human race somewhere even though we may not experience it in our generation.
Many persons are still oblivious to what purpose is as well as what their purposes are and how to find it but if we are to live effective lives in history then it is imperative that we talk about purpose in order to bring people into the awareness that there is more to life than just what they are doing now. Discovering your purpose is very critical to a satisfying life but unfortunately all we have done is pushed purpose to the side as we live broke, busted, disgusted, defeated, intimidated, poverty-ridden and driven lives! This does nothing more than leave a trail of untapped potential, unrealized purpose, and counterproductive behavior because we have been convinced that if we don’t know about it; that means it doesn’t exist. This could not be any further from the truth than it already is and part of my purpose is to help as many people as possible realize their purpose.
It is imperative to note here that as created beings, we did not create our own purpose. If you want to know the purpose of a product, don’t ask the product; ask the manufacturer of the product. You have to get in contact with the manufacturer of the product because only the manufacturer knows the purpose of the product so in discovering purpose one must get in contact with the manufacturer. So in essence, you do not know who you are and what you can do until you know who the manufacturer is. Your manufacturer is God and are not going to find out your true purpose outside of God because He gave you your purpose so who knows what your purpose is better than Him? Whether you believe that or not does not change the fact that God determines purpose.
Deep inside you can admit to feeling a pull towards something greater than yourself. I know you are tired of the mundane. I know you are fed-up with the rat race of life. I know you are frustrated and struggling with unfulfillment. All these and more are reasons why you must pursue purpose. Wherever there is no sense of purpose or significance, that is where you will find confusion, corruption, frustration, discouragement, and disillusionment. Purpose is the key to individuals, families, churches, ministries, entrepreneurial businesses, corporate organizations, communities, societies, and nations experiencing success in their endeavors. It is clear to see that without purpose, life has no meaning.
I want to leave you with this: pursue the purpose that the Manufacturer has designed you to accomplish in your generation. If it is writing books, articles, poetry, do it. If it is writing, producing, arranging songs and music do it. If it is screen writing, drama and acting, do it. If it is business, entertainment, politics, technology, and I can go on and on. As long as you are still alive, your purpose is still waiting to be accomplished. The mere fact that you ARE alive and reading this article is proof that you have a purpose. Don’t be a generational thief and rob your generation of what God designed you to do.
Will you take the challenge of living out your designed purpose and make an impact in history or are you content to just sit on the sidelines and watch as your God-given purpose passes you by? There is a saying uttered by a young Jewish rabbi named Jesus that is best understood when placed in the context of purpose. He said: “many are called but few are chosen”. Many are indeed called to leave a legacy and make a lasting positive impact in their generation, but it is the few that respond to the call who are chosen to make an indelible mark in history; will you remain in the class of the called or will you rise to the occasion and become one of the chosen? Remember, you are designed for purpose!
“The meaning of life is to live a meaningful life!”- Darren Wilson
Darren Wilson is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur based in Saint Martin. He is the author of four books including Designed for Purpose that is available on Amazon. For more information, visit his website at www.darrenwilsonglobal.com or email him at info@darrenwilsonglobal.com.