Does Life Have a Purpose? How I Discovered Mine When It Felt Lost

🌱 Does Life Have a Purpose? How I Discovered Mine When It Felt Lost

I’ll never forget the day I sat in my car in the grocery store parking lot and cried. Nothing “big” had happened. No tragedy, no loss, no crisis. Yet there I was, gripping the steering wheel, wondering if anything I was doing actually mattered.

Have you ever been there? That gnawing ache inside whispering, “What’s the point?” You go to work, pay the bills, shuffle through responsibilities… but deep down, you wonder if your life carries any lasting meaning.

That was me—stuck in what felt like an endless loop of busyness but emptiness. I asked God directly: “Lord, why am I here? What’s my purpose?”

And in His patient way, He began to answer—not with a lightning bolt or a five-point plan, but through Scripture, experiences, and gentle nudges that helped me rediscover why my life matters.

Today, I want to walk with you through that journey. If you’re asking whether life has a purpose, I can promise you: yes, it does. And God’s Word has a lot to say about it.

🤔 The Universal Question

The question of purpose is not new. Philosophers, poets, and prophets have wrestled with it for centuries. Ecclesiastes opens with the haunting words:

“Meaningless! Meaningless! … Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

King Solomon, who had wealth, wisdom, and power beyond imagination, still found himself wrestling with emptiness. So if you feel that way, you’re not broken or weird—you’re human.

But Scripture doesn’t leave us there. It points us toward the God who created us on purpose and for a purpose.

📖 What the Bible Says About Our Purpose

Here are some truths that re-framed my perspective:

1. We were created for God’s glory.
   Isaiah 43:7 says: “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Your life was designed to reflect the beauty and greatness of God.
2. We were created for relationship.
   Micah 6:8 reminds us what the Lord requires: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Walking with God—not just existing, but relating to Him—is central to our purpose.
3. We were created for good works.
   Ephesians 2:10 tells us: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” You are not an accident. There are assignments only you can fulfill.
4. We were created for eternal hope.
   2 Corinthians 4:18 says: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. Since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Purpose isn’t only about what we achieve here—it’s about preparing for eternity.

🌊 My Season of “Lostness”

Back to that grocery store parking lot. I was doing everything “right” on the outside. Job, family, church attendance. But inside, I felt hollow.

In that season, I realized I was chasing productivity as my purpose. If I could just accomplish enough, be needed enough, impress enough—then I’d feel fulfilled. But it never worked.

God gently revealed that my purpose wasn’t about what I do, but about whose I am.

That realization didn’t come overnight. It came through tears, prayers, and even failures. But slowly, I began to anchor myself in God’s truth: my identity and purpose are rooted in Him, not in my performance.

🛑 False Sources of Purpose

Maybe you’ve looked for purpose in some of the same places I did:

• Work and success. Careers matter, but they aren’t ultimate. Jobs change. God’s purpose doesn’t.
• Relationships. Even beautiful relationships can’t bear the weight of being your sole purpose.
• Pleasure and comfort. Netflix binges, food, or scrolling social media may distract us, but they don’t satisfy.
• Approval. Chasing likes, compliments, or affirmation leaves us exhausted.

These things can bring joy, but they can’t define us. When we make them the center, we end up like Solomon—wealthy, busy, admired… but empty.

✝️ The Cross Defines Our Purpose

When I look at Jesus, I see the clearest picture of what purpose looks like.

He lived with one aim: to do the will of His Father. John 6:38 records Him saying: “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus gave us new life—and a new calling. My life isn’t random. Neither is yours. If God sent His Son to redeem us, then our lives carry eternal worth.

🌟 Rediscovering My Purpose

As I leaned into God’s Word and prayer, I noticed shifts in my heart:

• Purpose became relational, not just functional. It wasn’t about “what am I doing?” but “am I walking with Him?”
• Purpose became about small faithfulness. Sometimes, purpose is found in reading a bedtime story to a child, or showing kindness to a coworker, or praying for a stranger.
• Purpose became eternal. My life is a vapor compared to eternity (James 4:14). Living with that lens changes everything.

🧭 Practical Ways to Live with Purpose

If you feel lost in your sense of meaning, here are practices that helped me realign:

1. Ask God directly. Don’t be afraid to pray, “Lord, show me my purpose.” He delights in guiding His children.
2. Immerse yourself in Scripture. Start with passages like Psalm 139, Jeremiah 29:11, and Ephesians 1.
3. Serve others. Purpose often emerges when we stop looking inward and start blessing others.
4. Pay attention to your gifts and passions. What burdens you? What brings you joy? God often plants clues in our desires.
5. Stay patient. Purpose unfolds over time. Abraham waited decades. Joseph endured prison. David tended sheep before a crown.

🌅 A Story of Purpose in the Ordinary

One night, after wrestling with all of this, I sat on my porch and watched the sunset. I realized—maybe part of my purpose is simply to be still and know He is God (Psalm 46:10).

The next day, I visited a friend who was struggling. I didn’t have grand advice, but I listened, prayed, and hugged her. Later she told me, “You have no idea how much that meant.”

It hit me: purpose isn’t always spectacular. Sometimes it’s showing up faithfully, letting God’s love flow through you in ordinary moments.

🙏 A Word to You

If you’re asking today, “Does my life have a purpose?”—I want to speak directly to you:

Yes, your life has purpose. Not because you’ve figured it all out, not because you’re perfect, not because you have a five-year plan. But because the God who knit you together (Psalm 139:13) has declared you matter.

You were made in His image. You were saved by His grace. You are called to reflect His love in the world.

Even when you feel lost, your Shepherd knows the way.

🙏 A Prayer for Rediscovering Purpose

“Father, thank You that my life is not meaningless. Forgive me for the times I’ve chased empty purposes. Help me to anchor my identity in You. Reveal the good works You’ve prepared for me to do. And when I feel lost, remind me that You are the One who guides, sustains, and gives my life eternal significance. In Jesus’ name, amen.”