I refuse to believe that any living person does not have a purpose. We are here for a reason. Everything on the earth has a reason. There is a reason for being - plants, animals, and humans all serve a purpose. As a born-again Christian, I'm inclined to believe that our reason for being is to give all the glory to God. Without Him, we and everything we know and have would be nonexistent.
Plants exist to limit climate change by absorbing heat-trapping carbon dioxide. They create energy and oxygen; they help the soil and the water cycle, create habitats for wildlife, provide ingredients for medicines, and more.
Animals exist for human benefit because God gave man dominion over them. However, they do serve a purpose for us, whether pleasure, food, entertainment, etc.), they have a purpose.
If the plants and animals serve a purpose, do you doubt that humans do? Do you doubt that you do? We all have a purpose. And our life should be spent living that purpose. So when someone tells me they don't have a purpose, I refuse to believe that to be true. A life without purpose is a life not in truth; so if you find yourself not knowing why you were put here, this article is for you. If you are among the many who may ask, "What if my life has no purpose?", this post is for you.
What is Purpose?
Purpose denotes intention or intentionality. Meaning there's a reason behind your existence. And there is action you need to take in order to fulfill it. There is a specific reason why you were born. There is a specific thing you're supposed to be doing. There is a specific assignment for you — just for you. And if you're not doing it, you're not living on purpose. If you really believe this, and just don't know what that assignment is, then learn how to find your purpose.
How Do I Know If I'm Not Living in Purpose?
You know if you're living your purpose. A life of purpose brings focus to your life, gives your life clarity, makes life worth living, makes success possible, and defines your real contribution to the world. Likewise, if you're not living on purpose, this may sound like you on most days:
Not looking forward to the day ahead;
Lack motivation for just about anything;
Often feeling tired and want to sleep a lot;
Rarely wanting to leave your home;
Going through the motions every day just to get by;
Doing the bare minimum on your job or in anything else, for that matter, and
You feel like life is a waste of time.
What Happens When You Lack Purpose in Your Life?
It's normal for anyone to experience any of the above at any given time, sometimes, but if we display this most of the time, there is cause for concern. The concern is due to the fact that a life without purpose can lead to:
Unemployment
Strained relationships and divorce
Financial Ruin
Suicide
The truth is we should have goals to achieve, and an intention to put our best foot forward in whatever we do in life. To quote Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, "Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope." So without something to hold fast to — something that signifies our reason for being, it's likely we will feel hopeless, useless, worthless, and life all the while will seem not worth living.
But I'm Happy, Shouldn't That Be Enough?
While every day may not feel worthless to you, if you're not living your purpose you are still lacking the fullness found in living your greatest joy. God's desire is that we all have life and have to its full abundance. That's hard to do when we're not pursuing our passion. Purpose brings about the fulfillment that no measure of success can define. It doesn't matter how much money you make, the number of vehicles you own, or the size of your home. If you're not fulfilling your passion and working on your God-given assignment in life, you will never be completely happy. And truth be told, you are prone to have more unhappy days than happy ones.
Conclusion
My desire for you is to live the life that was meant for you. The life that God intended for you, even before you were born. It's time for you to learn your purpose, and you can during my course, An Introvert's Guide to Finding Purpose.
Visit my blog articles on Purpose and begin to live your life to its full potential.