Purpose: Why Am I Here?

By Ruth Kwalanda | April, 2024

There are many perspectives on what purpose is. Each of us may have a sense of purpose. What resonates with you? What do you believe is the very unique way you are here to be of service, of help to someone else or to the wonderful world around you?

One of my favourite definitions of purpose is by Mcknight and Kashdan, (2009, pp.242-243);

Purpose is a central, self-organizing life aim that organizes and stimulates goals, manages behaviours, and provides a sense of meaning. Purpose directs life goals and daily decisions by guiding the use of finite personal resources. Instead of governing behavior, purpose offers direction just as a compass offers direction to a navigator; following the compass (i.e. purpose) is optional. Living in accord with one’s purpose, however, offers that person a self-sustaining source of meaning through goal pursuit and goal attainment… Purpose is at the highest level of analysis and provides some degree of centrality in a person’s identity …The presence of a purpose is expected to lead to greater persistence than other important life goals because a central, self-organizing life aim resonates across time and context.

To understand the purpose of anything, you perhaps want to refer to the manufacturer’s reason for making it. A car is meant to move you from point A to point B… so is a bicycle or a train. This items can be used for other purposes too. We can fancy it up and each model can have its own unique way the manufacturer believes is serving the customer but in essence, when we strip off all the glamour what remains?

The bible is a very powerful owner’s manual; it endures to eternity. Everyone deserves to have a copy and explore it for themselves regardless of their faith, belief system, or religion.

TRUTH 1- It is written;

 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [g]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that [h]moves on the earth.”  ( New King James Version [NKJV],1982, Genesis 1: 26-28)

From these verses and using the highlighted parts of definition of purpose above , we can derive three statements of purpose for every human being, as below; 

Reflecting or being the image and likeness of God

Exercising care as in the  use of all that is around us.

Being fruitful and multiplying  – this encampuses more than procreation.

It turns out just being is a full purpose to live for. Reflecting the image and likeness of God, this is tricky,  what is your perception of God? Do you perceive Him as loving, patient. Merciful, Compassionate, full of grace, blessing, wise,  ever present, faithful having your back and desiring to do life with you? Or do you perceive him as angry, lording, punitive and hard slave master? This is important to discern because it determines how you show up everyday.  

 What is your perception rooted in ?  How your parents talked to you about God? The behavior of Christians around you?  Your teachers? Why don’t you renew your perception of God today. Imagine making a mistake, and your parent or someone who cares about you  says they will take up all the penalty of your mistakes so that you do not even have to bear them, including perhaps  going to jail for you? That is Love. God is Love. Ask him to reveal and show you the many dimensions of his love today. Read the book of John in the bible and see How God’s character  of Love is revealed through Christ Jesus life here on earth.

The second dimension of purpose. God has not created us to be idle, in fact he instructs us to be busy working, doing something for 6 days each week.  From a heart of love , ask yourself how you can be of value to those around you? Do not be idle, do not sit waiting for a job, you already have a job, serve those around you. You will get to discover so much about your capacities, your preferences, your style as you interact with others and as you offer yourself to others. As you do this, you will  discover your  unique presence and being.

The third dimension is   procreation, bringing a life into this world is beautiful. But most importantly, increasing the capacity to reflect the image of God and his likeness. And multiplying in the good works of care and service brings joy and contentment. And the more we engage in this two, the more the path of our uniqueness and significance and meaning are opened to us. 

In summary what am saying, that our very own unique purpose and mission statement is an emergence from the core as we live out the three dimensions above. Then we can craft a clear mission statement from these experiences of our life. 

More on this topic as we engage. 

Reflections;

1. How are you doing in the three dimensions above? 
2. What can you do even more this week? 
3. What can you start doing today?
4. What attitudes and beliefs do you need to shift today?

Something to ponder this week.

TRUTH 2- It is written;

 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (emphasis mine).  ( NKJV,1982, Ephesians 2: 8-10)

One practical way to live out our purpose is through the lense of our values. Look out for my next post on Values part 1.

May you be aligned and illuminating!