Living Your Life on Purpose

Have you ever wondered where the most valuable place on Earth is? If you were asked that question, what answer would you come up with? Perhaps you might say that Wall Street is the most valuable place on Earth. After all — it has been deemed the most economically powerful city; and it is home to two of the world’s largest stock exchanges. Maybe you’d say Saudi Arabia deserves the title, with its possession of the world’s largest offshore oil field. Some of you may conclude that Egypt with all its incredible pyramids, is the most valuable place on Earth. As surprising as it may seem, I can confidently say that none of these are the most valuable places on Earth. Do you want to know what is?

The cemetery.

Follow me for a moment.

Why in the world are cemeteries the most valuable places on Earth? How can a place full of tombstones and plaques be worthy of great value? A great man of God, Myles Munroe, explained it best.

The cemetery has so much value because in it are books that were never written, music that was never produced, speakers that never touched lives, teachers that never taught, movies that were never filmed and so much more.

What is he really saying here? What Mr. Munroe was really saying is that there are countless millions of people who died without fulfilling their God-given purpose. They went their whole lives without any clue as to why they were created. They never knew what they were born to do; and if they did know, for whatever reason, they failed to accomplish their purpose. This is why the cemetery musters so much value. It is the holding place of unfulfilled purposes — purposes which had the potential to enrich the world far more than those deceased individuals could’ve ever fathomed.

This ought to be a great wake up call for all of us. We were all created for a specific purpose. None of us are here by accident. So we shouldn’t treat our lives like an accident. It’s within our best interest to live our lives on purpose. Believe it not, God has a specially designed purpose for you. Look what His Word has to say:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. – Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28 (ESV)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will… – Ephesians 1:11 (ESV)

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. – Psalm 139:13-16 (ESV)

No matter what society says, you weren’t born to just go to a boring job everyday, pay bills, retire, grow old and die! Life is a much more than that. Have you ever considered that God could use you to change your community, city, state, country and even the world? He will if you allow Him to order your steps! There may be a book you need to write for your generation. There may be awesome worship songs that you’re called to produce. You may be called to be a great orator and draw thousands of souls to Christ. Whatever it may be — you have a purpose.

How do you find your purpose?

There are no solid step-by-step directions to finding your purpose, because God reveals purposes through many different methods. However, there are certain keys you can use to find out why you were born. Those keys are:

1. Seek God. The first key is to really seek God for your purpose. No one knows your purpose better than your Creator. Seek Him through prayer, worship, meditating on Him and reading His Word. Ask God what your purpose is. He won’t withhold it from you! He wants you to know why you were born and He wants you to live out the purpose you were born for.
2. Discover your gifts/skills. Every man, woman, boy and girl is gifted in one way or another. Before the foundations of this world, God already knew you (Jeremiah 1:5). He already knew what He would bless you to be gifted with. He foreknew what skills you would possess. Don’t you think those gifts and skills were given to you in order to help you fulfill your God-given purpose? Absolutely! Discover your gifts/talents and put them to work for God’s glory!
3. It’ll be too big for you. That’s right. Whatever your God-given purpose is, will be way too big for you to accomplish on your own. It will take God to help you fulfill your purpose. Jeremiah was afraid to be a prophet. He knew that he couldn’t do it on his own. It was by God’s power that Jeremiah became a great prophet. Moses had major doubts about his calling. He felt he couldn’t live up to God’s calling on his life. But by God’s power, Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Whatever your purpose is, it will require God’s power and leadership in order for you to accomplish it!

Ladies and gentleman, whatever you do, please don’t die without fulfilling your purpose. God has a specific plan for your life and He desires that you enjoy life through your purpose! The cemetery is already valuable enough. Don’t add anymore value to it. Give all your riches (purpose) to the world while you are yet alive and well!