The Perilous Pursuit of Finding Purpose
WHAT THE WORLD WON’T TELL YOU AND GOD’S BETTER WAY
We’re all chasing after something. For most people, their pursuits include some combination of normal things like finding their soulmate, landing a fulfilling job, finding fun hobbies, assembling a squad of loyal friends, and maybe even building a family. We think that when we get these things, we’ll finally feel happy and satisfied. We’ve been told that pursuing our dreams is what will give us purpose. What most people have not considered, however, is that life often does not go as planned.
For some, these things just won’t happen. Despite all their efforts, their love life won’t pan out, their dream job will be inaccessible, and finding good friends will prove much more difficult than they had anticipated. Others may achieve some of their pursuits, but will lose them when hard times strike. In the end, no matter how successful or unsuccessful you end up being, you and everyone that matters to you will die, rendering even the most enjoyable life possible only temporary at best.
Are you feeling depressed yet? It’s understandable if you are. These are all inevitabilities that we’re not exactly encouraged to think about. If we consider them at all, it’s typically not for long. They’re quickly buried under a positive everything-will-work-out-in-the-end attitude and forgotten as we push forward towards potential disaster.
But if you’re still reading this far, you probably aren’t satisfied with that solution. Know that there is hope coming. But first, one more grim reality must be exhumed.
It’s possible that you could get everything you’ve ever wanted and still be unsatisfied.
DEALING WTIH DISILLUSIONMENT
It’s possible that you could get everything you’ve ever wanted and still be unsatisfied. Award-winning actor and comedian Jim Carrey can attest to this. After a successful acting career involving over 58 movies and cultivating a net worth of $180 million, you might think he would feel satisfied with everything he’s accomplished. However, that’s not the case. Instead of talking about how fulfilling his life has been, he advises that “…everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of, so they can see that it’s not the answer.”1
Jim Carrey is not alone in his disillusionment. This is a very common occurrence. In fact, British author C.S. Lewis wrote about it as well. He explains the disappointment by saying, “There was something we grasped at, in that first moment of longing, which just fades away in the reality…The wife may be a good wife, and the hotels and scenery may have been excellent, and chemistry may be a very interesting job: but something has evaded us.”2
If you’re honest with yourself, you know exactly what these two men are talking about. We’ve all set our sights on something, held it within our grasp, and then were unexpectedly left wanting. It’s frustrating and unsettling. Many people come to the conclusion that they’ve simply chosen the wrong thing. They go looking for a new spouse, another job, a better group of friends. But what if you never find what you’re looking for? Others give into cynicism and bitterness. But what if there’s a better way?
LIFE ADVICE FROM A MAN WHO HAD IT ALL
The Bible doesn’t shy away from the fact that pursuing your dream life can be disappointing. In fact, the entire book of Ecclesiastes is dedicated to this uncomfortable reality. Written by an extremely wealthy and successful king towards the end of his life, Ecclesiastes offers a cautionary tale to anyone who is brave enough and humble enough to listen. With nearly endless resources, this king was able to craft a life for himself that should have been, by all accounts, supremely satisfying. First, he pursued a good education (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18). He observed everything and accumulated a vast amount of knowledge. But the more he learned, the more depressed he got. So, he decided to go after pleasure instead (2:1-11). He drank good wine, built a beautiful home, hired lots of employees, accumulated treasures, enjoyed the arts, and slept with lots of women. But none of those things were quite satisfying either.
Finally, he decided to invest in his career and just work hard (2:18-20). But even in that, he realized that he would die and someone else would inherit the results of all his hard work. Thirty-eight times during the book, you can almost see the king throwing up his hands in frustration as he repeats: “It is all meaningless, like chasing the wind!” Even with all his unending resources, something had evaded him.
At the end of the book, he specifically addresses those just starting out in life (12:1). Fueled by years of painful experience and disappointment, he summarizes what he’s learned and implores readers to take a different path than he had. He explains that the things in this world are wonderful and should be enjoyed, but that they’re not meant to be what life is all about. No amount of achievement, pleasure, possession, or relationship is ever going to be enough to satisfy you. And in the end, they will all slip through your fingers.
So, the king points us down a quite uncommon path. He implores us to look outside the walls of our world for our purpose. Instead of focusing on what we can see or feel, he begs that we focus on the God who created it all (12:13).
Instead of your life being controlled by getting what you want or crushed by the thought of losing it, you will finally be free.
SEEKING THE GIFT OF A BETTER WAY
If you had the chance to ask Him, Jesus would heartily agree with this king in Ecclesiastes. He also does not want you to get caught in the trap of chasing after the things you think will be fulfilling. He explains that since everything we could ever hope to get here is perishable at best, and easily taken at worst (Matthew 6:19), we’d be wise to put our efforts towards going after something more stable. Thankfully, Jesus offers this to us.
He advises that you, “Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that [I] can give you” (John 6:27, NLT). This reveals a unique aspect of the Christian life. First, that it’s given. Second, that you’ll have to pursue it. These two things may sound contradictory at first, but in reality they work together.
First, eternal life has to be given to you by Jesus. You can’t get it on your own, and you won’t be able to figure it out by just trying really hard. You’re going to need to ask for and accept His help. Fortunately for us, helping people is what He’s all about, and eternal life is something He is more than happy to give (Matthew 7:7, John 10:10).
So, step one, whether you’ve been a Christian for a long time and you desire clearer direction for moving forward, or if you don’t even know if you are a Christian, but you want to be, ask for His help. Seriously. Stop reading, whoever you are, wherever you are, and ask Him for help right now.
Second, know that pursuing the eternal life that Jesus offers is going to require effort from you. Lots of effort. If you already knew that, you could always use the reminder. Becoming a Christian is 100% a free gift (Ephesians 2:8), but continuing on after that into maturity will be a challenge (Matthew 7:13-14).
Practically, this means you’ll have to get your nose in a Bible, find a good church, think critically, ask good questions, humbly accept answers, and then actually apply the things you’re learning. Don’t you dare stop asking for His help. You’ll be required to give lots of things up, take lots of other things on, and constantly be open to Jesus’ plans for your life.
Finally, expect that it will be difficult. Some days you’re going to want to quit. But, if you stick with Him right up to the end, you will have no regrets. This is the only pursuit that can’t be taken away from you. All you have to do is not give up.
PURSUING INDESTRUCTIBLE PURPOSE
All that said, pursuing the life Jesus has for you doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be forced to work a job you hate or to stay single and celibate for the rest of your life. Marriage, work, friendships, and family are all lovely gifts from God meant to be received and enjoyed. The crucial thing is that these gifts stay in their proper place, always secondary to pursuing God. That way, if you don’t get these things when or how you were hoping, you’re free to trust that Jesus has better plans for you.
When this is your reality, you’ll be free to marry or stay single. You’ll be able to find enjoyment doing any job. You can have hobbies without them consuming your life, and a great pressure will be taken off the relationships you have with your family, neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Instead of your life being controlled by getting what you want or crushed by the thought of losing it, you will finally be free.
So, rather than focusing your efforts on gaining things in this world like everybody else, dare to consider a different way. Your purpose can be found in going after what Jesus wants for you. If you choose that, suffering will only be an opportunity to push you in deeper, and ultimately death will be the consummation of everything you’ve been working towards. This is what we were made for. What will you choose to pursue?
“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty...those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life.’” - John 6:35-40, NLT
1. “A Quote by Jim Carrey.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/1151805-i-think-everybody-should-get-rich-and-famous-and-do. 2. Mere Christianity, by Lewis C S (Clive Staples), Simon and Schuster, 1996.