When You Don't Know Why You're Here
My employer had told me I needed to take a new role in the organization, and aptitude testing would determine my placement. After a full day of testing, the consultant showed me the exact number I had scored on dozens of measures. I hoped all this data could tell me what to do with my life. But the consultant shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, you still have to figure that out yourself." I had the data, but I didn't have direction. As I sat in traffic on the way back to the office, I wondered if all this money and time had sent me to a dead end.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Sometimes we feel like a background character in someone else's YouTube video or a fast fashion t-shirt in the landfill. We're replaceable, forgettable data points in a busy, show-me-the-money world. Similarly, in Paul's day, the social hierarchy would have heaped shame on anyone who abandoned the Roman cult for the worship of a crucified man. It still seems strange today. But Paul says we are the "poiema" of God. In his day, the word was used to describe a craftsman's creations, including books and poetry, which is why it is translated "workmanship" here. DNA has only four letters. Poems use twenty-six. But neither writes itself. In a poem, every word is invaluable, serving its unique purpose. We aren't even poems, but Poems—living and breathing testaments to God's glory. Before time began, God made us his good work, empowered to do good work. Whether you're coding software, changing a diaper, or editing a spreadsheet, you're Living Poetry. Whenever we enter a room, we bring divine handiwork into it. It's impossible to divide the "sacred" and the "secular" when every movement of our bodies animates God's design. Because God designed us, we don't have to design our lives. We don't have to invent our worth or search for purpose with panic. We already know why we're here: to be God-breathed poems, speaking life wherever we go.
Reflection Questions
When you hear the word "purpose," do you feel excited, exhausted, or confused?
Paul says God prepared specific works for you ahead of time. Consider your family, friends, neighbors, daily routines, or job. What opportunities are there to do good work that you have overlooked?
Have you ever felt that some parts of your life are "spiritual" and others don't matter to God? What would change if you felt that washing dishes mattered to God?
One Thing to Try
Set a timer for five minutes. Answer this question: What's one good work God made me to do? Don't overthink it. Then text a friend: "Here's one way I want to serve God this week. What about you?" It's not a comprehensive plan for the rest of your life. It's one way to express the core purpose of your life.