What is our purpose?
That’s a question that I struggled with growing up. I felt my purpose was defined mostly by external factors, such as meaningful work, the right relationships, and a nice home. And if any one of these things was lacking, I would feel discouraged and without a clear sense of self-worth or direction. I would then put a lot of effort into finding, or trying to reestablish, what I thought was missing in my life. This approach brought a lot of disappointment and frustration.
Later, through my study of Christian Science, I learned that we can discover our purpose by looking “deep into realism instead of accepting only the outward sense of things” (Mary Baker Eddy, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 129). I understood this to mean that we look to an understanding of God and our individual relation to Him.
We are God’s creation and, as such, express qualities such as peace, harmony, clarity of thought, and joy. These qualities always find their right expression in our work, our homes, our relationships, and our communities. They constitute our completely spiritual nature as God’s children and enable us to fulfill God’s purpose for us – to reflect His goodness and harmony.
If we ever feel stuck, without a sense of meaning in what we do, or uncertain about our path forward, we can trust God’s law of progress. In Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, writes, “… progress is the law of God, whose law demands of us only what we can certainly fulfil” (p. 233). How wonderful to know that God’s law of progress is constant, showing us the way forward and demanding of us only what God is enabling us to do.
At one point in my life, I was living in another country and had been laid off after only a short time at a job. Deeply discouraged, I called a Christian Science practitioner to pray for me. After I had prayed for several days, the thought came to put my will aside and let God do His work.
I had been feeling certain that the career path I had outlined for myself was the best. However, with fresh, divine inspiration and humility in my heart, I felt impelled to let God guide me to where I could serve Him best. The following Bible passage was a helpful reminder: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9). We can always trust God’s promise that His way (God’s plan for us) is higher (better) than our own.
I started each day by acknowledging that I was “about my Father’s business,” as Christ Jesus said of himself (Luke 2:49). Every moment is a holy opportunity to put God at the helm of thought and trust that He is showing us what we need to do.
Through prayer, I understood better that our purpose in life is to glorify God through expressing the qualities and talents He has given us. These qualities are part of our spiritual identity, and we can confidently expect to express them naturally and effortlessly in activities that bless both ourselves and others. We don’t have to worry, stress, or search frantically for purpose because there is just one Mind, God, and we are Mind’s expression. That’s the true spiritual identity of each of us.
These ideas were truly liberating. Soon a work opportunity I had never considered before came about naturally. I had to move to take this new job, and plans fell into place in a harmonious way.
Whenever doubt or fear suggests that we are lacking purpose, we can humbly acknowledge the God-endowed qualities we express as His creation. We glorify God in this eternal and infinite activity. There is never a dull moment in our eternal expression of God, only a constant unfoldment of good that blesses us and others.
Adapted from an article published in the Nov. 18, 2024, issue of the Christian Science Sentinel.
