Seeking reasons why I am alive has taken the better part of fifty (50) years. In this post, we will examine the only reason any of us are truly alive.
VI. Conclusion
You Are Alive to Listen for Further Instructions
In our pursuit of purpose, we leave behind the one (1) skill necessary to its revelation: listening.
Although it takes decades to perfect our purpose, that doesn’t mean it takes as long to discover it. One thing I am acutely aware of is God reveals purpose to whom He will, when He will.
For example, I was conducting a radio interview with a young Pastor not long ago. I am fascinated by real ‘God called’ preachers and took the opportunity to present tough questions.
I asked my fellow Pastor: “when did you know God was calling you to preach?” Without hesitation, he said around the age of eleven (11) or twelve (12).
I had heard this prior from other former ‘boy’ preachers, but for some reason this “in-person” admission had a more profound impact. One reason is I didn’t receive what is colloquially known as “the call” until age twenty-five (25).
Before going further, we should all understand that each of us have “a call” and such a phrase is not pejorative to Preachers of the Word.
There is a so-called “great commission” in Matthew chapter 28 of the Holy Bible:
How this charge by Jesus Christ is realized is particular to each Believer’s gifting and “call.” However, if we have “spiritual smartphones” on “silent”, when the eternal altering call arrives, we will not “pick up” (if you will).
This acute refusal to answer is further compounded by who (and what) others think we should be. Most often, instead of listening to the Lord, we accept the “career” advice of others and wonder why we are so miserable.
Meaning of Being Alive
First, the reason for your existence is discovery of the meaning of being alive. As a Christian apologist, a live on definition of words and how they are woven into a larger narrative.
Preaching the gospel for many years has shown me that the basics must be established before serious conversation ensues. If the foundation is built on that which is not understood, nothing after can be properly understood either.
For instance, I was listening to a few brothers debate a topic in the Club House APP recently. The topic was non-sensical, but I forced myself to endure until the end.
The topic was: “Can God bleed?”
The first preacher opened by disputing whether God could “bleed” as we understand it. His posit was “God is spirit and spirits don’t bleed.” The other guy preacher took the opposite position that God, in fact, did bleed in the person of Jesus Christ.
As the wise among us see, both posits were correct and represented two-sides of the same coin. The argument’s foundation was ridiculous, so the only result was the theater of the absurd!
For those who may not grasp how these are the same, let me weave together a short biblical narrative.
The Bible says: ‘God is spirit so those who come to Him must worship Him in spirit’ (John 4:24). The text further indicates: “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was also in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2).
Later in that same chapter in the Gospel of John (1:14):
Finally, is the famous text John 3:16 where it is written that “God gave His only Son (Jesus), who, as God in the flesh Himself, did indeed bleed!
I offer this to point out instead of spending their time walking out the real reason the are alive, these two men took part in a “clown show.” When listening for “the call”, do not become side-tracked!
Being Alive Means Using All Six Senses
For these purposes, being alive means: “either discovering or having discovered the idea that we are alive for reasons other than personal pursuits.”
Although this is hardly a biblical definition, it is true. I deplore the statement “life is a journey.” While this may be true sometimes, journey suggests ongoing and continual movement towards a place or goal.
S
o, are those stuck in a rut on a journey in the same way someone who is continually progressing is? No! Further, there is a difference between being at a 'rest stop', versus driving down the interstate.
Yes, it could be philosophically argued that a rest stop is a part of the journey. However, many pull over and NEVER get back on the highway.
Those unable to move have lost control of their sensory perception. The most fundamental gift given by God is the ability to master our sensory perception.
There are six (6) senses to perceive the world around us.
I understand that science only describes five (5) however, the Bible “completes” our understanding by adding a sixth (6).
The Holy Scriptures inform us that this life is spiritual much more than even physical.
Here is proof:
This can hardly be denied because when the physical life ends, the spiritual life continues forever.
Our six (6) senses are sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and spiritual discernment. No matter what you have heard, God does not operate in fives (5) when it comes to the work of His hands.
Since we are created in his own image and after His own likeness, He gives us six (6) abilities to perceive the world around us.
Nevertheless, you are on a search for why you are alive and have arrived at this article. This is no coincidence. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I reject coincidence and happenstance.
This would suggest a randomness which the very existence of God refutes.
Finding why you are alive means finding meaning. This meaning cannot be realized outside of the One who created you. He knows best and you should seek Him and ask why you were created.
You are not alive to serve the interests of your parents, family, friends, or even employers. Further, you are to serve the interests of God. In serving God's interests, you may serve others, but they are not always mutually inclusive to purpose.
I am not suggesting living a selfish life either. We were not created to be selfish. I am suggesting, however, that you refuse to form self-identity around pleasing others. People pleasers, by definition, are weak cowards who do not serve others at all.
We cannot serve others in “spirit and truth” by trying to “do what they want” rather than “what they need.” The young preacher spoken of earlier is so much more blessed than many his equal.
To be so definitive, so early in life, about something so consequential is astonishing.
However, the other 98% of us must walk through life until purpose is revealed. This doesn’t suggest you cannot know earlier if you ask Jesus!
This is where depression, anger, and many other mental illnesses originate: not understanding you have purpose - let alone walking in it.
Your Purpose IS Your Identity
I made an extraordinary statement to my wife recently. Before she retired, she was a nurse. Anyone who knows her understands she is a born caregiver.
Not because she is a woman either! I reject misogynistic roles heaped on women or men. Nevertheless, whether a church, former employer, or raising our granddaughter, she understands how to truly serve others.
I said: “although you are a nurse, that is not who you are. God brought you into the world to be a caregiver and your job is only the platform to carry out who God created you to be.”
Beloved: your job is not who you are - it is only what you do.
In a perfect world, who you are and what you do would be mutually inclusive. Yet this to rarely be true. There are nurses and doctors who were simply smart enough to be so and are not caregivers in spirit.
They enjoy the same benefits that my wife does in those medical spaces but were not born to do it. This becomes important because our identity often suffers depressive symptoms because we are walking outside of purpose.
You are not alive simply to wake up each day and go to some job! You were born to wake up and be productive.
Even within ministry, church leaders get this concept confused as well. Pastors are confused believing that the anointing of God is in their ‘pastorate’ and not the ‘preaching.’
Therefore, when they lose a Pastorate, they suffer a massive loss of purpose and identity.
As with my wife being a caregiver, being a church Pastor is only a platform to carry out what God created me to be – a preacher! I can lose the Pastorate and still be a preacher. If I take that one step further, there are people who have Pastorates that are not preachers sent from God.
Like any great actor, they have studied the ‘greats,’ and are playing the part. However, the truth of call has, and always will elude them.
The most important question you can ask God is not “what God wants you to do right now?” A more important query is asking Him what your meaning and purpose is?
When I package that with the first reason listed, the meaning of being alive, your purpose and meaning must be centered around God’s creative genius.
He did not make a mistake creating you!
Totally Ignore the Expectation of Others
Finally, you must ignore the expectations others have for you. Let me be clear, however. Expectations of righteousness and godliness are strategic imperatives in the faith.
I am a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ and other believers should expect me to conduct myself as such.
There is another kind of expectation that should be ignored, however. As was mentioned earlier, we spend our lives try to live up to the expectations of others.
We are told where to go to school, what to eat, what to watch, what to think, how to talk, and how to live.
For decades, we buy into this form of slavery until we realize that being controlled by others is unhealthy. Being controlled by the Holy Spirit, however, should be the goal of anyone seeking purpose.
The ministry God assigned to my hand as a Pastor is different than most. I am called to ‘watch the sheep watchers.’ That means I am effectively a Prophet of God called to a ministry of confrontational preaching to other leaders.
This has caused me much duress. The testimony of Jeremiah and chapter 20 is real in my life in a way I can never explain. However, I will continue to do this and ignore what other people believe I should be.
The Bible asked this question: “shall I seek to please men are God? If I should seek to please men I could never be the servant of Jesus Christ.” That is as true for you as it is for me.
This will be hard to hear but others don’t care as much about you is you believe. If they did, why are they not asking you how they can help you be who God called you to be? Stop living in a place of trying to please everyone else!
The only people who benefit from ‘people pleasers’ are those not doing the ‘pleasing.’
Conclusion
This list of reasons why I am alive, and you are alive, could go on throughout an entire book. I will not patronize you any longer - you get the point though.
Above any other consideration, please pray and ask Jesus to reveal what your purpose and meaning for being born is.
Even if you think you understand, ask Him again. Further, your purpose cannot be fully realized without other believers come alongside you. As a Prophet of God, I am naturally inclined to walk alone.
However, I am a Pastor in the season and God did not call me to that.
Seek out a real body of believers that will nurture your gifts and love on you just the way God made you. This does not mean that corrective judgment is not a part of these relationships, only that it’s not the judgment of condemnation.
You have a bigger purpose in this life than you could ever realize.
Why are you waiting to realize it?
Header Image Courtesy of Tumisu @ Pixabay