Knowing God’s purpose: Why am I here?

Have you ever wondered whether anything you do matters? Whether there’s any sort of value in all the day-to-day mundane?

I get it. In the middle of all the laundry, meal planning and kid taxi-ing, it can begin to feel like we’ve lost any sense of purpose. Even our conversations with our husbands can become more about schedule coordinating than soul connecting.

How can we know God’s purpose for our lives? Can we really live in His purpose during the chaotic season of raising children? Is it possible for us to glorify Him even when our lives are totally busy?

I believe the answer to all those questions is a huge yes! But I believe it has to start with knowing what our purpose really is.

I love the Westminster Shorter Catechism’s response to the question, “What is the chief aim of man?” Such a simple thing: “The chief aim of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”

What if we lived with that as our first and foremost desire and goal – to glorify God in all things and to truly enjoy Him?

Suddenly the laundry and the menus and time in the car are moments of worship and service, opportunities to reflect His glory and commune with Him. All the talks about schedules and meetings and calendars are times to express our gratitude and reflect on the ways He gives us to share Him with others.

Knowing God’s purpose for our lives leads to a heart change, even when our calendar stays the same. I love Colossians 3:23, where Paul reminds us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for man.” That is such a beautiful reminder that our life work isn’t about the accolades and accomplishments we gain here. What we do, we do for His glory and not our own.

It’s a game changer to grasp that truth – for our sakes and for the sake of our children who are learning how to live by watching us.