Finding our purpose is something most of us are after. This is also very similar to knowing God’s will for our lives. I believe part of this quest is the fact that intrinsically, we know that we are meant to be doing something satisfying yet what we are often doing is not satisfying so that lack of satisfaction pushes us into the search. Another reason is simply the comparison trap we fall prey to. For example, we can look at the job we are working at, the level we are at in life and realize that we are falling behind in comparison to our peers and that might push us to find our purpose, and there is yet another reason, which is that for us Christians, we want to make sure we are pleasing God in what we are doing. I believe that the quest to finding our purpose is a legitimate one and everyone should embark on it. However, I believe, the answer is in God who made us. Indeed, in His love and mercy, He has given us the answer our soul has been longing for all this while. The book of Ephesians tells us plainly that we have been “chosen in God before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight” (Ephesians 1:4). There you have it, as simple as it is, that is your purpose. This statement from the get-go tells us why we even exist. Another passage in the bible tells us that we were created for the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7). I know reading this you might wonder what it has to do with purpose and what it even means for your life right now. Take heart, my goal in today’s post, is hopefully to shed some light on that and demystify our calling as Christians and encourage us by giving us practical ways to live out this great calling.
As Paul has stated in the second chapter of Ephesians, we were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ. This work of redemption means that what we have been called to do (be “holy and blameless”) is now possible in Christ. By the righteousness of Christ, we are holy and blameless before the Father. However, this new identity must translate into our day-to-day lives. You see, Christ has set us free to live in the freedom of life that is only available in Christ. We are now able to live by the spirit of God and not by our flesh. We are no longer slaves to fear, nor to the desires of our flesh but we are free in Christ. This means that everything I do as a redeemed man or woman must display holiness and blamelessness. Basically, it must reflect the kingdom of Light that we are part of. This is what Paul expounds in the fourth chapter of the book of Ephesians. He urges us to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. What does that look like? Paul does answer this question with the following: “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3). Living the way Paul explains requires help. Thankfully, in His goodness, God has given us the Helper par excellence, His Spirit to help us fulfill our calling. The Spirit of God is not only a guarantee of our inheritance in Christ but is also our guide and instructor into all things of God. Moreover, Christ has secured gifts for us so that we would be equipped to fulfill this new calling of walking in holiness and blamelessness. Let’s look at what that looks like practically.
First, remember that there is a time for everything under the sun as the book of Ecclesiastes tells us. In the bible, there are far too many verses with this phrase “at the appointed time” which supports the point that there is a time for everything. Knowing this should free you to believe that where you are at today is part of God’s will and if you are in Christ, all things work together for your good because He is the one who holds all things in His hands. Therefore, be faithful with what you have been given and in the season you are in. This means, if you are a student, learn to be an excellent student with a blameless character like Daniel by putting God above everything. Learn to honour God with your assignments by handing them in on time, learn to honour Him in the way you handle the time He gives you by removing distractions, learn to be an example that others can follow. Excellence does not mean having the perfect grade, but it does mean being a good steward. If you are a child, son or daughter, learn to be the best son or daughter you can be. This means, putting God first and honouring your parents by being obedient to them as the word of God says for as Paul reminds us, your wellbeing and long life on this earth is directly tied to how you treat your parents (Ephesians 6:1-3). If you are an orphan, you must know that you are still a child of God, therefore, the above principles still apply to you. Honour God by obeying His commandments, displaying Him to the world and you will be blessed. If you are a servant (which all of us are to some extent), know that you ought to serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord (Ephesians 6:7). Notice that it does not say to serve wholeheartedly the master that is kind to you and respects you, but it simply says to serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord. In cases where injustice is present, the Lord expects us to display the fruits of the Spirit, walking in humility. Obviously, the situations I am referring to here are not situations of abuse which would require a different approach but general servant-master relationships. Similarly, if you are a master, you ought to treat your servants with honour and respect, knowing that they are also children of God, and you share the same Master who shows no favoritism and who is just in all His doing. If you are a spouse, whether husband or wife, you ought to honour God by submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. The wife has her role, and the husband has his and both must seek to be blameless in how they fulfill those roles. The husband must love his wife like Christ loves the church and gave himself up for her and the wife should submit to her husband as to the Lord. Moreover, the husband must ensure the call of his wife to be “holy and blameless” is fulfilled. I would encourage you to read Ephesians to study these truths for yourself. My point here is simply that in order to fulfill your call of “holiness and blamelessness” you ought to first recognize that times and seasons belong to the Lord and honour God by your faithfulness in any season you find yourself in.
Second, continually strengthen yourself in the LORD and in His might (Ephesians 6:1). As you begin to be diligent with where God has placed you and what He has put in your hands, you will inevitably find that it is not easy to fulfill your calling to be “holy and blameless” because the battle with the flesh often rages and we have an enemy, the devil. This is where Paul reminds us once again to not be led by our flesh, which means we should not find among ourselves any hint of sin whether it be sexual immorality, greed, unwholesome talk, laziness, etc. but rather, what is pure, that is, “the fruit of the Light which consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). For that to happen, Paul tells us that we must be active in finding out what pleases God, and part of this encompasses delighting in the Law of God as Psalm 1 tells us. Delighting in the Law of God means we must search it, know it, meditate on it, and submit ourselves to it which includes obedience to it. Another practical way to strengthen ourselves in the Lord is to put on the full amour of God in order to stand against the devil’s schemes. Much of, if not all of what constitutes the armour of God has already been attained by Christ, we are just called to wear it and stand on it! That is truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) and prayer in the Spirit. All these elements are crucial in helping us to live our calling. A final practical way to strengthen yourself in the LORD is by being filled with the Spirit. Paul here makes a parallel between a person that is filled with wine and a person that is filled with the Spirit. Both act in a reality that is different than reality others experience. Think about someone who is drunk, they act like a fool. In a similar manner, being filled with the Spirit means we must act like fools. Paul even gives us concrete examples of what that looks like for us and dare I say, the answer will surprise you: “… speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Ephesians 5:19-20, italics mine). This indeed is pure foolishness to the world because why would you be singing and making melody in your heart to God and giving thanks to Him for all things, knowing quite well that all things include the good and the bad? It is foolishness to be declaring that “God is good, and his love endures forever” in the midst of pain, difficulty and trial yet, that is the portion of the righteous and that is how we strengthen ourselves in the LORD and fulfill our calling.
Well, I hope you have been encouraged to find out that your purpose in this life is really to submit to the Father and He has laid it out for you, so quit searching for it and instead live it. He has made a way for you to succeed in this path, He has given you tools to be more than a conqueror, to live victoriously while you await your eternal inheritance, and it is simply beautiful to know that we can rest in the LORD who fights our battles and who has secured salvation for us. I pray, we are able to rest in those truths. Amen!
A Word Aptly Spoken 