Living with Purpose

Living with Purpose is not an easy task. It does not happen overnight. It is a process that may require weeks, months and even years when we discover what it is we have to live for!

In this post, I will share what I believe to be the 3 fundamental principles to help us live with purpose.

As a Pastor, someone may think that I have already figured everything out.

No, becoming a Pastor is one step in the process of fulfilling my destiny. Of course, I did not become a Pastor only because of the training I received from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. The training is a tool form the toolbox we have to carry with us throughout the process.

Doing what I do, as a Pastor, is a result of many years of discerning on what I ought to do with my life. Everything, in my life, turned completely around when I was 17 years old. I still remember that day of November 11. It was late afternoon when I went to my bedroom and knelt down to invite Jesus Christ into my life. I was a member of the United Methodist Church that my entire family attended in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo.

What happened in my life when I was 17 points out to the following statement: “living with purpose does not lie in what we do, but starts with a simple invitation of Jesus Christ into our lives.”

It was from that moment that I began looking at life differently. Instead of using my own lenses to discover what I had to do later, I learned to trust and lean on Jesus Christ.

Here are the 3 fundamental principles to help us live with purpose:

First, Lean on Someone Who is Bigger than Life.

Life is bigger than anyone of us. We may have goals and plans, but have no control of our own future. We can learn to effectively use our time, but when it is gone we cannot get it back. Jesus Christ is the Life (John 14: 6). He is bigger than life, because He created it. That is the kind of guys I would rather hang out with. Don’t you think?

We can hang out with Jesus Christ through prayer and reading Scripture. We can do it alone or with other people. 

Second, Every Single Day in your Life is an Opportunity To Serve.

“God’s mercies are new every morning” (Lamentations 3: 22-23). What this is every day is an opportunity to do what we did not well the day before. It is another chance to serve better.

Living with purpose means we have to look at every single day as one step toward fulfilling the reason why we are alive.

Third, Find People Who Can Help You Discover Yourself Better.

Because life is bigger than us, in addition to hanging out with Jesus Christ, we should do the same with other people.

These should not be people who agree with you. They should, however, be able to challenge us and our values.

Well, let me clarify here. Hanging out with other people does not always mean to watch TV, drink coffee, etc., as the purpose. That should not be the goal, but helping each other. 

What I am also trying to say here is to be mindful of the kind of company we have, even though doing the above is OK. What is key is to be clear about why you do what you do.

Ask yourself this question: “how is hanging out, with so and so, helping me become the better version of me?”

Any person, who can build me up to be better in life, is the one I would like to hang out with more.

In the process of finding people to build us up, we should always stay focused. Life we have is not just for ourselves. We are who we are and have what we have so that we can better serve God and each other. 

Serving God and people is our focus. It is what we are here on earth for, which makes it the mission all of us have.

As you see, I did not cover many possible ways to live with purpose. If you think of any, which I did not cover in this post, please share with me in the comments section.

I truly would like to hear and learn from you!

 This post was based on my sermon I delivered at the Harris and Lake Park United Methodist Churches. Click To Listen.