3 rules for finding purpose wherever you are
"If you're God's child, the gospel isn't an aspect of your life, it is your life; that is, it is the window through which you look at everything," Paul David Tripp wrote in New Morning Mercies. Many leaders don't live as if the gospel is their life. Instead, they see it as one aspect of life. As biblical leaders, we must not live a segmented gospel.
Maybe you have the Great Commission memorized. Most leaders don't have to look those verses up. But have you thought about these verses in the context of your mission and purpose? Here are three rules for finding purpose wherever you are.
#1 It's about God, not you.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18).
Jesus said to his disciples, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (v. 18). Essentially, he said, this is about me—not you. It's the same with your purpose. Your purpose is not about you. It's about how you can serve God.
No matter how someone might feel about Jesus, he claimed to have all authority on heaven and earth. This makes him Lord—not just our personal Savior. His death, burial, and resurrection don't change based on a person's beliefs. Given his authority, our best life is seeking to live for him. He gives us purpose. And nothing else but God delivers on it.
When you become a believer, you die to yourself. This means the "finding yourself" strategy of the culture isn't your way. You no longer submit to yourself, but to God. Given Jesus's words here in Matthew, we are called to serve him. Since Jesus has authority over everything, he has authority over your mission, your purpose, and your life.
#2 Do what God said.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...." (Matthew 28:19).
Jesus explained his authority, and then said, "Go…" (v. 19). Part of being faithful is going. But there's more to faithfulness. Beyond going, faithfulness includes making disciples, baptizing, and teaching the Bible.
You have missed your mission and purpose if you spend your life only attending church and never making disciples. Do you have spiritual activity and busyness but haven't ever taught God's Word?
The call to "go and make disciples" isn't comfortable. In your life, it may mean things like reaching all nations, starting the discipleship process by sharing the gospel, serving in a church that reaches the lost, and walking so closely with new believers that they want to be baptized by you.
Disciples makes disciples. Do you see this happening in your life? It's tough to make disciples without teaching Scripture. Your purpose then becomes knowing the gospel, living the gospel, and telling others about it. Being faithful to this calling is being faithful to the God who gives purpose.
#3 God will be with you.
"… [T]eaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Since Jesus is the authority and we are called to do what he says, it's comforting to know he is always with us.
As you go, fulfilling God's purpose and mission, you don't do it by our own power. After all, it's his work, not ours, that he is enabling and calling us to do.
The more we can keep God's mission in mind, the more purpose we will find in our life and work. Let's go!
 | Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More » |
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