Reading With the People of God #15 PurposeSample

Letting Go to Press On

Ecclesiastes 8:2-17 continues "the Preacher’s" honest wrestling with life’s perplexities. Even as he urges reverence for God and obedience to authority, he confesses that no one can fully grasp God’s work from beginning to end. Life under the sun remains unpredictable and often unjust. The Preacher finds purpose not in control or certainty, but in fearing God and trusting Him beyond understanding.

In Philippians 3, Paul brings a powerful complement to this theme. He reflects on his past credentials—status, pedigree, and strict obedience to the law—but declares them “rubbish” compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Paul lets go of what he once thought gave life purpose in order to gain something far greater. His purpose is now rooted in the resurrection life of Jesus, and he presses on toward the goal of becoming like Christ.

Together, these passages remind us that we don’t need all the answers to live with purpose. Instead, we’re invited to trust, surrender, and press forward in faith.

Reflection Question:
What are you still clinging to for a sense of purpose, and what might it look like to count it as loss compared to knowing Christ?

Prayer of Illumination:
Lord, I confess how often I chase purpose in things that will not last. Today, open my eyes to see the surpassing worth of knowing you. Help me to trust you even when I don’t understand, and to press on toward the calling you have placed on my life. Amen.