Finding Purpose When Everything Feels Pointless
Ever had that moment where you're going through your day, doing the things you're supposed to do, and suddenly you stop and think: "What is the point of all this?"
You're not having a crisis exactly. You're not depressed. It's more like a quiet question that won't go away. A sense that maybe there's supposed to be more to life than this.
You scroll through social media and everyone seems to have figured it out. They have their passions, their causes, their clear sense of direction. And you're just... here. Going through the motions.
If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. "What is my purpose?" is one of the most searched questions on Google. Millions of people are typing those words into their phones, hoping the algorithm will give them the answer.
But the algorithm can't answer that question. Only Someone bigger can.
The Question Behind the Question
When we ask "What is my purpose?" we're really asking something deeper. We're asking: "Do I matter?"
We want to know that our existence means something. That we're not just taking up space. That when we're gone, something will be different because we were here.
This isn't a shallow desire. It's built into us. The Bible says God set eternity in our hearts. We were made for significance because we were made by Someone significant.
Where Purpose Doesn't Come From
The world offers a lot of paths to purpose. Build a career. Grow a platform. Achieve something impressive. Accumulate experiences. Find your passion and monetize it.
And these things aren't bad. Work matters. Creativity matters. Experiences can be wonderful.
But here's what I've noticed. The most successful people I know are often the ones asking the purpose question the loudest. They reached the top and found it empty.
King Solomon had everything. Wealth. Power. Wisdom. Every pleasure available to humanity. And he wrote an entire book about how meaningless it all felt.
"I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14)
Where Purpose Actually Comes From
At the end of Ecclesiastes, after Solomon tried everything, he gives his conclusion:
"Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
That might sound anticlimactic. You wanted a specific life plan and he gives you "fear God."
But here's what Solomon understood. Purpose isn't a destination. It's a relationship.
When you know God, when you're walking with Him, when you're oriented toward Him, everything else starts to make sense. Not because you suddenly have all the answers, but because you're connected to the One who does.
The Two Questions That Actually Matter
Jesus was once asked what the most important commandment was. His answer cut through all the complexity:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39)
There it is. Your purpose, simplified.
Love God. Love people.
That's it. Everything else flows from there.
When You Still Feel Lost
Even with all this, you might still feel directionless. That's okay. Purpose often unfolds slowly.
Abraham didn't know where he was going when God told him to leave his home. David was anointed king but spent years hiding in caves before he took the throne. The disciples followed Jesus without fully understanding where it was leading.
Sometimes purpose is revealed step by step, not all at once. Your job isn't to have everything figured out. Your job is to take the next faithful step.
And often, the best way to discover that next step is through prayer. Not formal, polished prayer. Just honest conversation with God.
You Already Matter
Here's the truth I want to leave you with.
Your purpose isn't something you have to earn or achieve. You already have inherent worth because you were made by God, in His image, on purpose.
Before you accomplish anything, before you figure out your unique calling, before you make your mark on the world, you matter. You're loved. You're seen.
So take a breath. Stop striving to prove your worth. And start walking with the One who already knows exactly who you are and why you're here.
If you're searching for purpose, start by talking to the One who made you. ThyWord is a voice first prayer companion that helps you have real conversations with God. Visit thywordapp.com to join the waitlist.
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