It is one thing to live out the fullness of one’s personality, but another to live out the fullness of one’s purpose. Living out the fullness of one’s personality gives one a sense of self-confidence that is necessary for one to live at peace with oneself. Equally as important is not only having a purpose to live, but also having a sense of that purpose to live for what one was created for. God created each person for a purpose. Needing a purpose and a sense of purpose is part of the natural law, as part of God’s design for humankind.
Without knowing one’s purpose or having a sense of such, a person will not have peace, knowing intuitively that this is not the way one was created to be. Purposeless is a painful thing precisely because it is contrary to the natural law, and humankind was not designed for no purpose. Such a life is a meaningless life, with nothing to live for, that can only lead one to cry out in despair, “What’s the point of life?”, “Why am I living?”, “What is life?”.
Fyodor Dostoevsky mused on the issue of the meaning of life in his masterpiece work The Brothers Karamazov that “For the secret of man’s being is not only to live but to have something to live for. Without a stable conception of the object of life, man would not consent to go on living, and would rather destroy himself than remain on earth, though he had bread in abundance.” Not only is having purpose, but also a sense of that purpose so fundamental to what it means to be human that purposeless is what plunges so many into despair and depression, despite enjoying all manner of material comforts, as well as pleasures and treasures.
The human heart craves for purpose and a sense of purpose so deeply that anything that hinders one from pursuing one’s purpose and having a sense of that purpose, is disdained. It is felt so deeply at the visceral level that people feel negatively towards anyone who causes one to feel undercut or undermined, whether rightly or wrong, in their purpose or sense of purpose. No one likes being told that they should not be living out what they perceive to be their purpose, or that they are only living the way they are or doing what they are doing because they have no proper sense of purpose. Such remarks are always received negatively.
There is a whole generation of youth all over the world who have been taught to pursue the mammonised lifestyle: that of attending university or college, getting a job in the corporate or professional world to earn a stable income, and finally marrying and having a family, then continuing to work to raise the family, and finally retiring and enjoying life. Though many are increasingly questioning this lifestyle, this generation, as has the previous generation, has been taught that it is their purpose in life.
The idea that one must live to work as one’s purpose in life is not merely a western phenomenon, but a global one, that has come with the development of the capitalist system which not just an economic system, but a social one too. It has shaped the mentality of the global masses in relation to how the purpose of life is viewed. In rendering each person a cog that exists to serve the capitalist machine, the capitalist system has shaped the global masses’ mindset into seeing and consequently treating themselves as such – all without realising. Everywhere the capitalist regime has spread, long-standing traditional values in each society and culture has been replaced by supposedly ‘modern’ capitalist ones.
This corporatist mindset has influenced entire generations globally: that their purpose in life is nothing more than working until retirement to earn money, to enjoy the pleasures, treasures, and comforts of life, for which there is no greater meaning. Success in one’s career is defined by material wealth, including annual income, and assets, especially luxury assets. Talent is defined by achieving such material success. Those who do not have a corporate or professional career are seen as untalented and weak, or otherwise irresponsible, immature, or even selfish, while having a corporate or professional career is seen as respectable, mature, and responsible. Where the greatest thing in life is enjoying the pleasures, treasures, securities, and comforts of this world, not pursuing mammon is seen as foolishness or a life that is deprived of what one should desire, being that of pleasure, treasure, comfort, and security.
Yet, many youths globally are questioning the meaning of this lifestyle. While they still want to enjoy life, they question whether a life of pursuing mammon is worth it. Many are faced with the dilemma of whether to pursue their career which they do not really love at all, but which gives them security and stability, or whether to pursue a path where their talents and passion lies, but more risky materially. Many settle for the former because it is the safer, more stable, and easier path, the realistic and practical path. Still, their yearning for meaning and purpose in life is not extinguished. Indeed, this yearning for meaning and purpose in life is so innate to human nature that people are even willing to commit suicide for having neither meaning nor purpose, despite their life being full of comfort and ease.
The need for not only purpose, but also a sense of that purpose is inherent to the human condition. Just as God is a God of purpose, likewise, we who are created in the image of God, are created as individual persons with purpose. It is for this reason that only by fulfilling one’s purpose in this life that one can experience a true joy and peace, both now and eternally. The feeling of fulfilling one’s purpose is like no other, as it is one of great satisfaction with knowing that one is truly living, and not merely surviving, trudging through the dreariness and vicissitudes of this life until one’s final breath, feeling only emptiness and pain at the meaningless of it all.
Ordered Towards Eternity
People often speak about wanting to leave a legacy after they pass away – a legacy that will be eternal, be it a successful, impactful career that improves the lives of many all over the world, a family that will remember them as loyal, hardworking, and reliable, or simply to be remembered by everyone around them for being a likeable, wonderful person. The thought as to what legacy to leave behind is often accompanied by apprehension, but also excitement. This testifies of what the scriptures says, ‘that [God] has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Indeed, the desire to leave behind a legacy that will last forever is innate to the human heart, and testifies that each human being is created in the image of God. The inability of each person to find out what God has done from the beginning to the end of his life, has a certain intrigue, a certain mystique, is also testament to God’s creation of each person, in His own image. Life never turns out the way we expected, or sometimes, hoped. It is to God’s glory that only He knows what He has done from the beginning to the end of each person’s life. For it is ‘the glory of God to conceal things’ as the Proverbs testify (25:2).
Concealing how each of our lives would turn out, from not knowing when we would be born, to not knowing the path we would journey, and to not knowing when time is up for our life on earth, is to the glory of God. For if one were to know about how one’s life would unfold before one, from birth to death, and the path one would take in the journey of life, it would mean that humankind is in control of its destiny. It is evident, however, that we are not in control of our own destiny.
Things in life often do not turn out the way we intended, despite all our best efforts and intents. Things we desire often escape us, sometimes many times over that we eventually lose hope what we once wanted. Things we aimed to achieve often elude us, no matter how many times we may try, often leading us down paths that we never expected ourselves to end up in. Owing to the desire to control one’s destiny against the tides of where life is taking one, many suffer burnout, a mental health condition recognised by psychologists, and characterised by stress, as well as mental and emotional exhaustion.
Burnout is, ironically, the result of seeking to achieve everything one can – material, tangible, temporal things – to enjoy life here on earth that is only but a glimpse of an eye. From the viewpoint that there is no eternity, but that this life is all there is, it makes sense, if not wise, to enjoy this life and all the pleasures, treasures, and comforts that it brings, and to build as much security as one can. If this is the case, there is no greater purpose than to such things. Laying down one’s life for others is not only meaningless, but absurd and foolish.
Our purpose in life, however, is not simply to enjoy life here, and all its fleeting pleasures, empty treasures, passing comforts, and temporal securities. Such things are appealing to the flesh because they bring a sense of security in this life to the flesh. The flesh in its fallen state is one that loves to gratify itself, and self-gratification by its very nature desires that which is easy, comfortable, and pleasurable. It hates all hardship, affliction, and pain. It cannot handle hardship, affliction, and pain. It is full of the fear of pain and suffering, being so weak and full of cowardice. It is soft because it is weak and cowardly, not because it is kind and gentle. It has no strength. It is precisely because of the weakness of the flesh that most people only seek to avoid hardships in life, and only want comfort and security, as well as pleasure and treasure.
However, the purpose that God created one for, is eternal. It requires great strength and courage to seek out the purpose God has for one, and to even think to seek out His purpose. It requires even more strength and courage to pursue the purpose God has for one’s life, and to fulfil it. Seeking the purpose of God for one’s life requires one to surrender to God and to continually trust in God, no matter what the circumstances, or how dire or bleak the future may seem.
The purpose God has for one is an eternal one, ordered towards not just the common temporal good, but also the eternal. The temporal common good is one end that it serves, but this good is, in turn, ordered towards the eternal, to worship God. It may be one that involves healing and comforting people which may be done through all kinds of ways, whether it be through curing illness, tending to the sick, counselling people, or healing people through art. It may be one that involves seeking justice and righteousness, which may likewise be done through various ways, whether it be through exacting punishment against wrongdoers, or providing financial assistance to the poor. It may be one that involves imparting truth and knowledge to people, which may also be carried out through all kinds of means, be it through teaching, storytelling, writing, orating, or preaching.
A Path Filled with Good Works
It is erroneous to say that Christians are not here to improve the physical lives of people, and are only here to preach the Gospel only as well as teach people to walk in the ways of the Lord. Christians are to do good works. These good works are not only practised through the spiritual works of mercy, such as prayer for Salvation of souls, but also the corporeal works of mercy, such as feeding the hungry, giving to the poor, and healing the sick. These corporeal works of mercy that help or benefit others physically and materially, are an essential, mandatory part of what it means to do good works which pertain to Salvation. Corporeal works of mercy are equally as important as spiritual works of mercy. Without good works, there is no faith, without which there can be no Salvation:
Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
(James 2:17-19)
A faith without good works is dead faith, for faith is not merely belief in God’s existence. Even the demons believe God exists, and are they eternally damned! Only faith with good works is a living faith that saves. Good works are not merely evidence of having received Salvation and being renewed with a new nature. It is the means by which one is continually being saved, for it is by good works that one is justified.
God granting us the opportunity to receive Salvation out of His desire to be reconciled with us despite having rejected Him so proudly and arrogantly, is itself His grace. We have wronged Him for rejecting Him. Salvation is granted to not only wash away those sins, but to be restored to be holy as God created one to be. God saves us that we may do good works, and not return to a life of sin and practising wickedness. Therefore, it is by good works that we are justified. Faith without good works does not profit one for Salvation. Good works must be done so that one will be saved. As Saint James taught:
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
(James 2:20-26)
It is evident therefore that faith alone does not save, but faith with good works. Furthermore, it must be emphasised good works must be practised by doing good towards others:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
(James 2:14-16)
Saint James’ reference to expressing good will to others without putting into practice that good will, is not simply an analogy that he is using to illustrate what professing faith without practising good works is. It is a command that corporeal works of mercy must be exercised. Many Christians erroneously think that only spiritual works of mercy such as prayer for the Salvation of souls suffices, and that is precisely what Saint James was rebuking. What good is your good will towards others if you do not practise it? Spiritual works of mercy do not suffice where not followed through with corporeal works of mercy. Spiritual works of mercy without corporeal works is an incomplete good work, and therefore not a good work at all.
Likewise, corporeal works of mercy must be accompanied with spiritual works of mercy to be counted as acceptable works of mercy before God. Corporeal works of mercy practised without the virtue of faith amount to nothing before God because one’s heart is not obedient towards God. Faith is not simply trust in God. It is the assent to the divine truth, and that such truth comes from God. Practising corporeal works of mercy without spiritual works makes one no different from the secular humanitarians, and the people of various religions who likewise do good works such as helping the poor, but who do not so out of faith in the true living God.
Good work must not merely be done occasionally; such good works must be a habit that is practised continually. We were created by God to worship Him, which is by glorifying Him through good works. Living out the fullness of one’s purpose is a path of continually practising good works. Good works are at the heart of one’s life in which one lives to do good works, out of a love for God and one’s neighbours.
Using One’s Gifts and Talents to the Fullest
Fulfilling one’s purpose to the fullest requires one to use the gifts and talents that God has given one to the fullest. Such His gifts to us are to be used for His glory, through doing good works. There are all kinds of gifts and talents God has given us, both spiritual and natural. God gives us gifts to do good works towards others, and not to seek our own benefit or own interests. We are not given gifts from God so that we may use it for our own vainglory, or to satisfy our pride, or any lusts.
A gift is that bestowed by God to a person by grace. A gift does not need to be sought, pleaded for, worked on, or improved upon, but is simply given from above. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17), the scriptures testify. This verse means that each and every single gift that is rightly called a ‘gift’ is from God. It is good because it reflects the nature of God in some respect, and is given for that purpose. It is perfect because it needs no correction, improvement, change, or modification, but is perfectly designed for God’s plans and purposes for both one’s life and for the whole of His Creation and Universe.
A talent is a gift from God. Not all gifts from God are talents, such as the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and the callings of matrimony and religious life respectively. A talent is that which God gives one to work on and use to glorify Him in piety towards Him and by doing good works towards one’s neighbours. A talent is akin to a seed that one has a responsibility to grow into a plant, to create a harvest that benefits others, out of a love towards one’s neighbours. A talent is not to be built up for one’s own self-interests. Nor does it serve the purpose of gratifying one’s vainglory, pride or lusts. Seeking one’s own self-interest is a vice, as are vainglory and pride. These vices are antithetical to charity, the cardinal virtue, without which there can be no holiness, and which without, no one can see God (Hebrews 12:14).
When God gives one a talent, one has a duty to work on it to the best one can. A talent from God is truly a good and perfect gift because is a call to a higher and greater calling, and an opportunity to exercise virtue and practise good works. It is a call to reject the ways of the world, of selfishly seeking after pleasures, treasures, security, and comfort, into a deeper, more fulfilling journey. Such fulfilment comes from living out both the fullness of one’s purpose and personality as one was created to be. It gives a great joy and peace deep within one’s heart, knowing that one is not only living out one’s true self, but living out one’s true self in the fullest way possible through one’s true purpose.
The Path of True Greatness
The path of true greatness requires great virtue, especially that of courage, patience, faith, and charity. It requires one to disavow the comforts and securities of this world, as well as the pleasures and treasures of this life, which requires a great level of faith, hope, and ultimately charity. It is the most fulfilling path, and the greatest path one could take. It is the path that will lead to the most blessings from God, both in Heaven, and in this earthly life. One will be sure to receive all manner of blessings that one never thought one would ever receive.
Forsaking all that this world could offer is the only path of true fulfillment and blessings in all its fullness. This is what it means to be truly great, not seeking after the pleasures and comforts of this world, or its comforts and security. That is not how God made us to be. He made us for greatness, for the higher, greater calling, and for a full and abundant life. True greatness is pursuing a life of serving God and one’s neighbours in piety and charity, in living out both the fullness of one’s purpose and personality. Though one may lose the world, one will gain that which is even greater. For God rewards those who are righteous and holy both in Heaven for eternity, and even in this life.
As Jesus Himself said:
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
(Matthew 19:29-30)
True greatness lies in becoming a servant of God and to all, in piety before God and charity towards one’s neighbours. It begins with humility and charity.
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