Life Purpose Based on Christian Authors

Running head: FINDING LIFE’S PURPOSE 1

FINDING LIFE’S PURPOSE 16

Finding Your Life’s Purpose

namme

UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The following paper discusses what life purpose is and how do we achieve our purpose in life. It explains why most people fail to discover their meaning and purpose in life. It will discuss many Christian authors' contributions and their manuals, which help people learn their existence. In the end, my life purpose is analyzed through the Christian point of view and its impact on my faith and goals.

Part 1

What is Life Purpose?

Introduction

Why do I exist? What is the purpose of my creation? Who am I? Was there anything I can be better at doing? These questions pop in our heads, leading to a never-ending cycle of finding what brings satisfaction to our lives. We have aims to be successful, rich, and educated in hopes of being satisfied with life. Even after having everything we dreamed of, we still fall victim to occasional depression, confusion, and just not knowing our calling. We may think maybe this was not supposed to be for me, and all our efforts to accomplish something we considered as a source of joy, happiness, and satisfaction to us seem to be unnecessary. In return, we try to walk down a different path.

There have been many formulas created to help to find the purpose of life. Many philosophers have written books to guide this process. One of the greatest emperors in the Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius, gave his personal opinions on how one can find a purpose to serve: "The impediment to action advances the action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”. In simple words, the obstacle is what stands in the way of life clarity. He stated that we have to be prepared for all the uncertainty in life and let things happen. We hold no power over the physical world/environment, but we can change our response to it. His thoughts were based on self-actualization, but one cannot merely rely on this. Aurelius finds it incomplete and unsatisfactory, causing one to drift around the reason for their creation, identity, meaning, and purpose. (NNEDS THESIS)

Life’s Purpose

Let us consider it that a life purpose is about self-actualization, achieving success, getting married, having a promising career, getting an education, or doing anything possible to become filthy rich. But God says, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:26). When finding a life purpose, one must look deeper into their being. It is evident that even if you have the whole world, you will not find the satisfaction that can bring peace and harmony to your soul unless you search for it through God.

Christianity and Purpose of life

"Through him, all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made."

(John 1:3)

The main element in Christianity is belief. The belief in God and that this belief can enlighten one’s soul and spiritual existence. The idea that God intentionally created the universe and man. In Jesus’s teachings, he illustrates that the purpose of life is to worship God and do what is right, so your Lord is pleased with you. In return, he will reward you for your actions. Putting your trust and faith in God is necessary for man to fulfill their life purpose in Christianity. For example, Solomon, the king of Israel, was considered the wisest and the wealthiest person during his era. But even after having so much, he had this sensation of being empty in his heart. To him, life seemed to be nothing but a meaningless journey. With time, mysteries became easy to understand, and he stated that life is nothing but a gift from God, and one can live and be obedient to his creator.

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (14) For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Contribution of Authors with Literature Work

Various authors have used literature to simplify and deliver a manual on living life according to the Bible's principles. Their work guides those who are in search of their purpose. They aim to help humanity. Many Christian authors have spent their lives trying to preach God's message in simplified texts. The following are some of them.

John MacArthur

John MacArthur is the writer of the book "Found: God's Will". The writer focuses on what the Bible says about living according to God’s will to have a fulfilled life. The way is through "Faith", one must believe first, that there is a use for me, God has created me because I must do something, be something. What is that thing? Well, to ask God the question and he will reply you back. The problem is we often do not communicate with God in the way that we should. To get an answer, first, we have to make our relationship with him a priority because this will, in return, shower God's blessing upon us. The blur vision in our minds will start to get clear, and we will be seeing the big picture, the picture God wanted us to see. If we follow the word of God, we surely will be successful and find the true meaning. God would never favor a desire that goes in against his will or word. "What one needs to know about the will of God is revealed in the pages of the Word of God." (MacArthur, 1998)

Priscilla Shirer

"Fervent", written by Priscilla Shirer, was inspired by the movie "War Room". She was the lead actress of the movie as well. Priscilla identifies the failures of a man who fails to reach towards God. She wrote the book as a source of inspiring and motivating people towards praying. She explains the importance of praying and how consistency in prayer can transform a broken life. She blames Satan for being the main reason for misguiding and trapping people into delusions. Thoughts, fears, or ideas are implemented into a person's mind by Satan, urging them to commit sin or distract them from walking on the path of righteous men. Satan attacks us in different ways. We may feel like God does not hear our prayers. However, the belief should be that, whatever we say, God hears us; he has not left us. It is God who commands us to pray. Priscilla also explains how to make your prayers effective. God has given us the strength to fight evil, and if we ask him for his help, he will help us.

"Peace is the deep, inner, eternal stability the believer possesses under relationship with Jesus, a sense of balance that's not subject to external circumstance. It's also the quality that enables us to live harmoniously with others." (Shirer, 2015)

Max Lucado

Max Lucado wrote "Fearless". The book was written to assure people that they do not need to suffer under their insecurities. He focuses on the healing of an individual from the scars he had been given throughout his life journey. The book is enriched with Bible stories that can relate to the incidents happening with the reader's personal life. He tells that God has promised the man that he will be protected and blessed. The man should not be wasting the gift of life in fear of losing, but trusting and having beliefs in God's plan. No one can harm him without God's will.

"God owns everything and gives us all things to enjoy. He is a good shepherd to us, his little flock. Trust him, not stuff. Move from the fear of scarcity to the comfort of provision. Less hoarding, more sharing. "Do good . . . be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share." (Lucardo, 2012)

Carey Scott

Carey Scott published her book, Uncommon: Pursuing a Life of Passion and Purpose. The book tells no fairy tales but the daily experiences of a man. The incidents relate to the real world and gives solutions to the reader as well. The words of the books are soul-scratching, which can fill a person with excitement. Carey emphasizes one's act of self-discovering and putting the trust upon God, as he can only mend and ease your pain. Some of the famous quotes of this book are as follows.

· "The Holy Spirit's guidance, you have everything it takes to be uncommon. And it's not only an honor but also a responsibility."

· "You rely on God more than yourself. You find hope in the hard places. You stand up for what's right. You hold on to joy, no matter what. You're not afraid to step out of your comfort zone. You're willing to risk your reputation as you live differently. You don't give up or give in. You don't live tangled by your past."

· "Remember, God's strength is available to you. Don't give up. Don't give in. Always ask the Lord for help. And don't forget, you can do hard things. Now go do them."

Donald S. Whitney

As Christians, there are several traits that we should possess and specific disciplines we should have as people of God. Donald wrote his book, “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life”, to teach Christ's disciplines. The book focuses on man's spiritual relationship with his Lord. Donald has instructed and guided people, giving a step to step how to achieve a Christian Life.

The disciplines he discusses are essential as they help in building man’s character. These disciplines are those which Jesus set forth for us to follow, behave, and at like him. In the meantime, spirituality blesses one with wisdom. God knows us, he sees us, and he is the only one that can eliminate the darkness from our hearts and fill it with light.

"Can we expect the flames of our worship of God to burn brightly in public on the Lord's Day when they barely flicker for Him in secret on other days?" (Whitney, 2002).

J.J Packer

Packer's "Knowing God" is considered to be a classic book that helps in the enlighten of one's soul. In his book, he says that we are not all children of God. We become a child of God when we accept God as our savior and surrender ourselves to him. Pecker's opinion is that to reach God, you must first know God his way and the path he has ordered us to follow. He speaks about the virtues of God and keeping one's spirit away from evil. Pecker breaks his book into several chapters, focusing on a specific subject, such as knowing God, his wrath, and His mercy. Distancing yourself from God will only bring feelings of satisfaction. This will later poison your heart with darkness and no interest in any other activity. Trust God, and he will open new gates and make pathways for you as he made for Moses. "Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord." (Packer, 1993)

Rick Warren

Rick's book "Purpose Driven Life" is a 40-day spiritual journey that gives readers a path to follow to find their purpose. This helps you in seeing life from a different perspective making you less worried and frustrated. The book offers help in decision making, self-satisfaction, and becoming ready for a world that will be eternal. Rick talks about identifying God first, what does God want from me? Then, he encourages the reader to do simple tasks, day after day, to establish a belief. In his words, a belief is turned into our actions, and actions define us. Rick suggests a free and straightforward living without chasing the world but to please God so that God is satisfied and happy with the man. Sometimes you have just to let things happen. God knows everything. Every single than that is happening, that has to happen or have happened, he knows it. He knows you.

"If not to God, you will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, or your pride, lusts, or ego. You were designed to worship God, and if you fail to worship Him, you will create other things (idols) to give your life. You are free to choose what you surrender to, but you are not free from the consequence of that choice." (Warren, 2006).

Discussion

In a nutshell, to fully understand life's purpose, one can seek help from the Holy Bible. There are tons of books and textual content that help us find answers to the questions we have in our minds. The Arthurs mentioned above, and many others emphasize building a connection with the mighty Lord. First, one has to know God, surrender himself to him, and walk down a path he has told his men to follow. When you pray, abide by evil, do good deeds, speak well, bring peace in your lives, and soften your heart, you will find your purpose in life.

Part 2

My Life Purpose

A man is tested with many trails during his journey on earth. He has to be patient and trust God during all the unwanted and uncomfortable situations. I found myself in the same position couple of months back. With no post-graduation plans, life seemed to be meaningless. Everything was becoming either annoying or irritating. Even things that once brought me joy were no longer feeling the same way.

One day on Instagram, I saw a post that said, “surrender to God”. At first, it did not make much sense to me. However, I was so lost within my purpose in this world; I figured why not. At first, I failed because I expected a vast change in my life the moment I surrendered. When that immediate change did not surface, I began to feel even more lost. But then I started to be consistent. I started with gratitude towards all the things I had at that time, no matter how miserable and uncomfortable my situation was. I thanked God for everything. I saw these problems as trails, small trails, after which I would be getting a huge reward. This mindset made me stay focused.

With time, things started to fall in place. I had now seen the picture. My purpose in life was not to be rich, it was not to be an Instagram model, but it was to be a creative. I had a love for fashion and being creative. I had been masking this passion with becoming as educated as possible because I was raised to put education first. I consumed my life with AP classes, prestigious universities, and stellar grades. I had no idea how to use my talents. I was overwhelmed because I could not figure out why I was so miserable. So, to relieve my stress, I picked up a crochet needle and started to make things. It was a hobby at first but eventually turned into a passion. At the end of summer 2019, I created 'Rise Designs', a small-scale business focused on women’s crochet bikinis and rhinestone garments. The name was inspired by my nickname 'Ri' and the term 'rise'. It reflects the idea that whatever obstacle you are facing is you can overcome it.

Career and Life Purpose

The purpose of life is to worship God and to answer unto his calling for you. He gave us the gift of life and free will. When I placed God at the forefront of my life, he began to transform my life clarity. This was the mindset with which I found a pathway to follow and inspire my career path in fashion.

My overall career goal is to open a creative studio where other creatives can come to cultivate their creativity. I always wanted to do something different, something that could be a source of satisfaction to me and others. I believe that is my purpose. I want to open a space where people like me can feel support in being a creative. Through faith and hope, I believe I can fulfill the purpose of my life.

Faith and Life

Most people lack a clear understanding of faith. Faith is something that is a quality/trait of a man. It has to be made internally. No one can get it from outside. It has to be built; it's an invisible force. Faith means to have confidence, have trust, and be assured of something that it will work.

By a Christian worldview, faith is what divided the river into two for Moses. He had no way, but he had faith in God, and God didn't upset him, but he helped him and his followers. "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided." (Exodus 14:21). This is one of the biggest examples of how your strong faith can do miracles. Strong faith is not be achieved in one day, but it takes time. It takes consistency.

Integration of Faith

Faith is something that gets attached to every activity/action you perform. The stronger your faith is, the more confident, positive, and optimistic attitude you show. No matter what I do, I believe that the best things will happen, and those who have a negative impact or are harmful to me will not occur. Whatever happens, is due to a reason, and I have to keep Trust in God.

Life Purpose and Ethics

Ethics is the understanding of what is good, what is bad. What is wrong, what is right. A person who lives needs money to survive. Money can create distance between a man and his God, but it is necessary for a man's survival. Everyone has a different approach when it comes to making money. Some use corruption for a higher gain, and others do not. It is the differences in approaches that creates controversy ethics.

One should be focusing on a business strategy that coincides with a life purpose. Not just making money, but to serve mankind and help people. What is wrong is wrong. Even if your sales increase up to 100%, you should not do it if it's illegal. That would be considered unethical. It would hurt your character and will act as a stain on you and God's relation. The right choices should be made so that character and moral values should not be harmed by greed.

My business is making and selling bikinis. There is not corruption, illegal actions, or overpriced products that can withdraw more money from people. Some amount of the earnings goes to charities to ensure that I have been doing what God has ordered.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. You will found me, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

(Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Conclusion

Many people die before they get the chance to figure out their life’s purpose. In our modern world, if we are asked about our life's purpose, the answer might be to have a sports car, be a millionaire, or be a Hollywood actor. This is because our motive is to be successful rather than being a righteous person. So, if one lives a life, following the path God, building a relationship with him, and having a strong faith in him, he will not be disappointed and succeed. Life's purpose is nothing but to serve God, and worship him.

References

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Froese, P. (2016). On purpose: How we create the meaning of life. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Goguel, M. (1976). The life of Jesus. New York: AMS Press.

Hughson, S. C. (1960). Spiritual guidance: A study of the godward way. West Park, NY: Holy Cross Press.

Lucado, M. (2012). Fearless: Imagine your life without fear. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

MacArthur, J. (1986). Found: God's will. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Packer, J. I. (2013). Knowing God. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

The purpose of life. (1994). Salt Lake City, UT: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The purpose of life: A Christian perspective on living purposefully. (2019, September 27). Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://activechristianity.org/can-find-purpose-life

RHINE, A. (2014). ROAD TO GOD. Place of publication not identified: KEITH PUBLICATIONS LLC.

SCOTT, C. (2020). UNCOMMON: Pursuing a life of passion and purpose. Place of publication not identified: SHILOH RUN PR.

SHIRER, P. (2017). FERVENT. Place of publication not identified: LIFEWAY CHRISTIAN RESOURC.

Warren, R. (2006). The Purpose Driven Life. Chagrin Falls, OH: Zondervan.

What is the purpose of life? (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://christianity.org.uk/article/what-is-the-purpose-of-life

Whitney, D. S., & Whitney, D. S. (2002). Ten questions to diagnose your spiritual health ; Spiritual disciplines for the Christian life. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Wijaya, P. (2019, July 23). What Is the True Meaning of Life? Finding Your Purpose in Life from the Creator of Life. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/what-is-the-true-meaning-of-life-finding-your-purpose-in-life.html