Purpose Driven Life

Let me start off by asking you a question. What is the purpose for your life? When you wake up in the morning what is it that drives you; what is your purpose. When you get to work, or when you go to school, what is it that makes you want to excel? As you think about this question, certain pictures may come into your mind or example; you might be motivated by a child hood dream, expectation of family members, or just trying to live the American Dream. The American Dream, isn’t that what we all want? The American Dream says that we can do anything we want to do. Be what ever we want to be. It says that we should live our lives to the fullest, exceed what our parents accomplished. (read text)

As we all think about what our purpose is in life, or even as we try to find our purpose, lets all understand that God has a purpose for our lives. By the way what is purpose? Purpose defined is; That which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished; the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure or exertion. In other words, we build a house for the purpose for shelter, we labor for the purpose of sustenance. (illustrate a pen; its purpose to write) But sadly enough, many Christians don’t have a clue what that purpose is.

Did you hear about the little girl who went to her mother and asked “Mommy, why do you cut the ends off the meat before you cook it?” The girl’s Mother thought for a moment and said “I think it’s because it adds to the flavor by allowing the meat to better absorb the spices, but maybe you should go ask your grandmother, because she always did it that way.” So the little girl went to her grandmother and asked “Grandma, why do you and Mom cut the ends off the meat before you cook it?” Her grandmother thought for a moment and said “I think it allows the meat to stay tender because it soaks up the juices better, but why don’t you ask your Nana, because I learned it from her and she always did it that way.” The little girl, getting a little frustrated, goes to her great grandmother, climbs up on her lap and asks “Nana, why do you and Mom and Grandma cut the ends off the meat before you cook it?” Her great grandmother smiled and said “I’m not sure why they do it, but I did it because my pot wasn’t big enough.”

We are all driven either by design or default. We either live for the purpose that God designed us to, or we live according to the demands of our schedule and the expectations of others. Some people think the purpose of life is making money, for some it is having as much fun as possible, and for others it’s being popular and well liked by others. There’s nothing wrong with these things, but if they are your whole purpose in life, there’s emptiness to it. It’s kind of like cotton candy – all taste, but no substance.

Let me share with you some of the benefits living with a purpose:

1. It will reduce frustration

By knowing your purpose, you can reduce meaningless work. Otherwise, you may feel like your always busy, but not accomplishing much.

Many of us have so many irons in the fire that we’re putting out the fire.

We’re burning the candle at both ends and we’re not as bright as we think we are.

2. It will increase motivation

If there is no purpose then, why get out of bed?

When you know what God wants you to do, you get excited, it gets you motivated to experience what God has in store for you today!

3. It will allow concentration

Purpose allows you to focus – It keeps you on track.

It allows you to ignore the things that can easily distract you and take your attention away from the things that really matter.

You don’t have time to do everything. Everything is not even worth doing.

Purpose not only helps you know what to do, but also what not to do.

Illustration – One of golf’s immortal moments came when a Scotsman demonstrated the new game to President Ulysses Grant. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, he took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President’s beard, while the ball placidly waited on the tee. Again the Scotsman swung, and again he missed. Our President waited patiently through six tries and then quietly stated, “There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in this game, but I fail to see the purpose of the ball.” Many of us are swinging wildly away at life, but we have missed the whole purpose for which God intended.