Purpose - What

Every word we use has a purpose, from nouns to adverbs to interjections. A great story is told when the author recognizes word usage and placement. Each question word - who, what, where, when, why, how - has an actual intention, as well.

In the midst of the current pandemic, the question that is rising in every home now is not really the question why, although that is still highly applicable. It is another popular interrogative word used in our language - what? Questions like “Mom, what are we going to do today?” or deeper and more probing questions like “What does all of this mean…for me, for my family, for my country, for our world?”

The question word of what is used to acquire an answer with specificity. So when you use a particular question term, you are actually seeking a particular answer; therefore, it is posed with purpose.

Purpose is defined as the reason for which something is done or for which something exists. Purpose is also defined as one’s intentions. We want specific answers. We want to have clarity and direction. We need some type of assurance of our existence. We desire to have affirmation for our steps - for even rising each day. We ask “what?” In order to get a specific reason. Essentially, we need something to place hope in. We want peace.

So we look for answers, but sometimes our direction becomes focused on things promising hope and peace, yet are not capable of sustaining hope and peace. Bombarded by well-intentioned informants encouraging us to find purpose in the many hats we wear leaves us anxious, fearful, disappointed, and exhausted. There are 15, 21, 28, 30, and even 45 day fixes on reestablishing our purpose. All promise that once our footing over this particular element of our life is established, we will have success and joy in all other aspects. We will have hope and peace.

Once you have a better understanding of your role as a wife, you will become a better mom, a better friend, a better leader, and a better employee. Gosh, that makes so much sense. Why would that not be the way to understand my purpose. God clearly tells us that we are to seek to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ in Ephesians, so when I get that right, I get everything right. Right?

Once you have a 28 day challenge accomplished on how to treat your temple, then you will be the best wife, the best mom, the best friend, the best employee, the best sibling and all of the other hats. How could managing your health not be a great answer for pursuing purpose? You are only given one body, and one life to live, so why would this not be the best answer? Right?

Once you have finished the 30 day purging/cleaning challenge, you will have your home in order and will have more time to devote to all of those other great relationships you have been given. How could establishing order not be a way to better pave the way for purpose in your life? Don’t you see how happy Marie Kondo is and how peaceful her life appears to be? Right?

I was listening to a podcast the other day talking about all of the wonderful things we have access to thanks to the internet. We have access to all of these studies and videos and books and coaching sessions through so many different vehicles. We have access to friends from 30 years ago as well as our neighbor next door. We have our eyes open to injustice in nations on the other side of the globe and to needs right down the road. We have exposure to the haves and have nots of ourselves and still of others.

However, the awareness of our access to others was not the awakening part of the conversation. This podcast did not scold me for not doing more to restore lost friendships. It did not guilt me into making greater donations to rescue missions. It did not frown upon my desire for a new white t-shirt from Free People. In fact, the interview discussed something that was so heavy and so purposed and so different. It was the very absence of awareness was the enlightening topic.

The absence of an awareness of what we can do to better our roll as wife, mother, or employee might actually be beneficial. The absence of awareness of what the magnitude of injustice is in the world might actually be beneficial. The absence of awareness of what the events of our former circles are might actually be beneficial.

I love history for so many reasons. History is important so that we can learn how to be the best us. History is important as it shows us mistakes made by those who were journeying before us. History is important as it reveals to us where heroes emerged in difficult times because they were willing to do hard things. History is important for it gives us pause to realize that the luxuries we have today were not provided through ease and simplicity. History is important because we learn how we were designed, and how we function alone, and how we function together. History is possibly most important as it reveals boundaries.

Two hundred years ago, what we knew of the life of our school-aged friends was most likely because they were still our neighbors. However, if they were not - if they had married and moved away - than they were no longer in our circle and that was not a bad thing. It was just a thing thing. That chapter of our life had closed and we had entered into a new chapter and that was the answer to what. That was our purpose. Our heart was not consumed with working to try to restore that relationship. Our purpose was not defined by that lost friendship. Our focus was on pursuing the present.

Two hundred years ago what we knew of injustice was within our home, or our community, or maybe the neighboring community. That was all. We did not know of injustice in Asia, nor did we know of riots in the city over Napoleon’s death. However, we did know when there was a crop shortage in the neighboring town and that was the answer to what. That was our purpose. Our heart was not burdened by the overwhelming sadness of events in other places that we might not be able to assist. Our soul was not heavy by things we had no ability to be involved. Our focus was on pursuing the present.

Two hundred years ago we chose fashion based on functionality. Even in the cities, where people were able to view others and their fashion choices, the presentation of self was more concerned with what could be accomplished with the attire and not whether it made the cover of a publication. Achieving success over the tasks that were presented to us each day was the answer to what. That was our purpose. Our heart was not conflicted with what we didn’t have, but rather peaceful with what we did have. Our focus was on pursuing the present.

Then we introduced the telephone where we could be able to talk to people several cities away and learn of their struggles. Our heart was just asked to hold a little more than it was originally designed to hold. The answer to what became a little more cloudy.

Then we received radios in our homes and most of the early broadcasts were national and global news informing us of both achievements and tragedies that were occurring across the world. Our hearts were again asked to hold a little more than it was originally designed to hold. The answer to what became a little more cloudy.

The television gave us actual visuals of the great burdens of the world and also the things we did not know we needed. Our hearts were again asked to hold a little more than it was originally designed to hold. The answer to what became a little more cloudy.

And now the internet. Our souls are so burdened and heavy that many of us are battling unknown ailments due to anxiety, fatigue, and exhaustion. In our pursuit of present, we are not exactly clear on what our present is anymore and yet we have access to exorbitant resources to help redirect us in 5 clear steps.

Yet still, we were not designed to hold all of this information. We were not designed to be stretched so very extensively. We were not purposed for this vastness. So what is our purpose? How can you know when you have all of this information sitting so heavily on your sense of being. And so we begins the process of re-centering our circle, re-centering our purpose, re-centering our God.

And even still, how can I let go of enormous tragedies like sex trafficking and hunger and imprisonment and injustice? How can I let go of my families debt, my cousin’s cancer, my former classmates’ unemployment, my previous co-worker’s rebellious child? How can I let go of looking in the mirror and seeing the crow’s feet, three chins, and gray hair? How can I just let go of it all?

God does not wish for these things to go unnoticed, but he first wants us to recognize what our actual purpose is. Our purpose is to become more like Christ.

What is your purpose? To become more like Christ. Say it again. To become more like Christ. That’s it.

God cannot make me more like him if I don’t spend time with Him and sit and listen to Him. He cannot tell me what my purpose is and grant me insight into my life’s direction if I don’t allow Him to do so. Before I can allow my soul to be consumed with all of happenings of the other people in my life, I must allow my soul to be consumed with Him. It is then that He will then direct me and actually SPECIFICALLY guide me to exactly what I have room for in my soul. I cannot reach for the world without first reaching for Him. My efforts will become futile and I will become exhausted and worthless when I have these out of order. If I am to love God and love people as He has commanded, I must first love Him.

Friends, these injustices in our world cannot be ignored. Please do not hear me saying that at all. However, you cannot help if that is not your lane to run. You also cannot help if you are already spent because you have been seeking to answer “what is my purpose” with 15 other sources.

The specificity of your purpose is so clearly defined through God. Let us never forget that He created each one of us INDIVIDUALLY for a PURPOSE. Find yours, not others and then live it well and live it loud.