There is no hunger like the hunger for purpose.
In a 2014 study by Larissa Rainy, 97% of participants agreed with her prompt: “For me, it is important that I live a purposeful life.”[1] Author and counselor Meg Selig defines purpose as “a feeling that the things you do in life are worthwhile.”[2] We intuitively know that we exist for a reason. The world would not be the same if we were never born—a thought voiced in movies such as It’s a Wonderful Life.
Having a strong sense of purpose has many benefits. A study published by the National Academy of Sciences found that those with a high sense of purpose were more likely to practice healthy habits, have strong personal relationships, enjoy better emotional well-being, experience greater financial prosperity, engage socially, and spend time being active rather than being sedentary.[3]
It is no wonder then that another study of adults over fifty concluded that “stronger purpose in life was associated with decreased mortality.”[4]
However, trying to find and execute our purpose can be complicated. Rainey’s study found that 91% of respondents had experienced purpose anxiety, defined as “the experience of negative emotions in direct relation to the search for purpose.”[5]
Perhaps that anxiety comes because we associate our purpose with what we do: Sunday school teacher, student, spouse, parent, grandparent, child, brother, sister, business owner, volunteer—the list could go on. But none of these titles truly reflect our purpose. If any title is stripped away from us unexpectedly, the core of our purpose remains the same. In a FamilyLife Today interview, Kelly Needham, author of Purposefooled, said,
“I’m very careful to put anything on myself as an identity marker besides the very narrow lane of: ‘I am a child of God.’ I feel very hesitant to attach anything else to that—mother, wife, author, neighbor, because all of that can go away.”[6]
What if the roles we have today were taken away from us? Would we lose all sense of purpose? What does God’s Word say about our purpose on this earth—regardless of our marital status, job, or ministry? Today, let us examine three purposes God has for every person.
TO COME TO REPENTANCE
First, God’s purpose for us is to have a relationship with Him. But our sin severs our relationship with a holy and righteous God. It is God’s desire that every person cry out in repentance and full reliance on Him for redemption. 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” If you have repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ’s saving work on the cross, you have already fulfilled the most necessary part of your life’s purpose. You have become a child of God:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” –John 1:12
TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST
Once we are saved, we are to become like Christ in our words, actions, and attitudes. We are not to live our life on earth for ourselves, simply pursuing selfish pleasures. Paul says in Romans 8:28–29,
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.”
According to these verses, God’s purpose for us is to become like His Son—to become like Christ. What is Jesus like? As we think over His life, ministry, and teachings, we can quickly identify a few character traits to describe Jesus:
- humble (Philippians 2:5–11)
- compassionate (Mark 1:41)
- loving (John 15:9, 13)
- joyful (John 15:11)
- merciful (John 8:10–11)
- patient (John 14:8–10)
- holy (1 Peter 2:21–24)
- wise (Colossians 2:2–3)
- generous (Luke 11:13; James 1:5)
Although no one will be able to be as perfect and holy as Jesus, we should always pursue the goal of imitating Christ. No matter our specific roles or jobs, we can develop Christ-like characteristics.
TO PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD
In Psalm 148, the Psalmist calls on all of creation to praise God. But how do inanimate objects such as the solar system, trees, and weather praise God? They cannot sing, pray, or speak words of gratitude. Instead, all of creation praises God by doing what they were created to do. The sun praises God by shining, the moon praises God by reflecting light, and the wind praises God by blowing. After calling on all of creation to praise God, the Psalmist turns his attention to people. The Psalmist proclaims,
“Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” –Psalm 148:12–13
God is worthy of our praise. Although we often think of praise in association with singing, praying, or participating in a church service, one way we praise God is by doing what He has created us to do. We praise Him by being faithful in our assigned tasks. If we are called to wash dishes today, we can praise God by washing dishes. If we are called to do grocery shopping, we can praise God by doing it diligently and cheerfully. No matter what specific work we have in front of us today, we can fulfill our purpose by doing every task to the glory of God. Colossians 3:17 says,
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
As you take up your next task today, take a moment to pray, Lord, I am doing this in Your name. Help me to glorify you.
CONCLUSION
No matter how fulfilling a role or job might be at times, most people experience moments where what they are doing seems pointless. In such moments, we need to remember to look to Christ for our purpose. No matter our specific roles or jobs, we can find purpose in Christ—by allowing Him to transform us and use us for His glory.
Copyright © 2026 by Carmen Dillon. All rights reserved.
[1]. Larissa Rainey, “The Search for Purpose in Life: An Exploration of Purpose, the Search Process, and Purpose Anxiety,” University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, August 2014, accessed May 16, 2025, https://fileserver-az.core.ac.uk/download/76386472.pdf.
[2]. Meg Selig, “10 Benefits of Living with Purpose,” Psychology Today, August 23, 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/202108/10-powerful-benefits-of-living-with-purpose.
[3]. Andrew Steptoe and Daisy Fancourt, “Leading a Meaningful Life at Older Ages and It’s Relationship with Social Engagement, Prosperity, Health, Biology, and Time Use,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 116, no. 4(January 7, 2019): 1207–1212, accessed May 16, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.181472311.
[4]. Aliya Alimujiang, Ashley Wiensch, Jonathan Boss, et al., “Association Between Life Purpose and Mortality Among US Adults Older Than 50 Years,” JAMA Netw Open 2, no. 5 (2019): e194270, accessed May 16, 2025, doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.4270.
[5]. Rainey, “The Search for Purpose in Life: An Exploration of Purpose, the Search Process, and Purpose Anxiety,” https://fileserver-az.core.ac.uk/download/76386472.pdf.
[6]. Jimmy Needham and Kelly Needham, “Purposefooled: Kelly and Jimmy Needham,” interviewed by Dave and Ann Wilson, FamilyLife Today,July 25, 2024, https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-today/purposefooled-kelly-jimmy-needham/.
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Spiritual transformation into the image of Christ – the highest purpose. Thanks for this important post.
Thank you!