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How do you figure out your purpose in life?

We often ask kids, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When you think about it, it’s kind of an intense question to ask a 5-year-old. But when you turn 18, all of a sudden, there’s intense pressure to figure it all out. So the big question is—What am I supposed to do with my life?

Fortunately, Jesus gives us a framework to follow. Like we talked about in day one, our main purpose in life is to love God and to love people. It sounds simple, but it’s hard to live out. 

Loving people means loving them when they mess up, when they treat you poorly, and when they make you mad. It means every decision gets filtered through the lens of—Is this decision something that shows love to others around me? 

Jesus gave us even more clarity about our purpose as He left His disciples. In His last instruction, He laid out our mission—to go out into all the world, make disciples, and teach people to obey God. He also promised to be with us every step of the way. 

Our mission is to lead people to Jesus by loving them like Jesus. Again, sounds simple, but is far from easy. No matter where you end up, that’s your purpose. Whether you’re working in business or at a coffee shop, make it your mission to love the people around you and tell them about the Good News of Jesus. 

And know this—you don’t have to do something epic to do something important. You don’t have to be a CEO or go into ministry or champion a huge cause to make a difference. All of those things are great, but we all have the opportunity to do great things every day by loving the people in front of us. 

So take the pressure off. Break up with unnecessary expectations you’ve put on yourself. God is with you, guiding you and leading you on to the path He has for you. 

Still wondering how to reconcile this truth with the massive decisions in front of you? 

Here are three questions to help you decide how you can live out your purpose—keeping in mind that you can love God, love others, and make disciples no matter where you go. 

1. What past experiences have shaped you? Your past doesn’t define you, but it can inform you. Have you gone through something you want to help others through? That might help you decide what you’re passionate about. 

2. Do you have any sense of calling? What causes righteous anger in you? For example, maybe you feel intense passion about protecting kids in unsafe situations. Maybe you’ve always been drawn to caring for sick people. Whatever it is, think about whether a certain career path might help you do more of what God has wired you to care about. 

3. What are you naturally gifted at? We all have different gifts given to us by God for His glory. What things come naturally to you? It just may help you decide what to do. 

Consider: Spend time thinking through the questions above. Pray about your answers, and talk them over with people close to you. See if the intersection of those questions can give clarity about your purpose. 

Pray: God, thank You for giving us all different gifts and abilities. Help me love You and others around me more. Help me make disciples. Give me clarity on where I can best serve You, and show me what my next step is. In Jesus’ name. Amen.