What's the Point?

Do you even catch yourself wondering, “What is the point?” What is the point of school? What is the point of relationships? What is the point of the coronavirus? What is the point of this life?

I’m sure we have all questioned the last one at some point or another. What is our purpose? Why are we here? At the age of five we are asked what we want to be when we grow up. For some reason, teachers have this assumption that at the age of five we have our lives figured out. Something happens along the way and by the age of eighteen we find ourselves (many of us at least) stumped on that very same question: ”What do you want to be when you grow up?”

When I was eighteen, this question scared me. I was not sure what my purpose for this life was. I wanted to do something great in this life. I wanted to be noticed by everyone and for people to know my name around the world. I can’t sing so that was out of the question. I wanted to be an actress, but my parents told me I needed a degree in something so that was out of the question as well. What was my purpose? What was I put here on this earth to do?

Then it hit me: I was going to be a pediatric oncologist. For those of you who don’t know exactly what that is, it is a cancer doctor for kids. Yep. That was what my purpose was. Or at least I thought it was, until I took A&P. Quickly, my purpose changed.

Throughout my college years, my purpose changed from oncologist to criminal intent to a general degree until finally I understood what God was calling me to do—teach. However, that is not my purpose in this life. You might ask why I shared that story (that could have probably been shorter) with you. Here is why: We believe that our career is supposed to be our purpose, but that isn’t the reason we are here.

I actually wanted some outside beliefs as to what others believed our purpose here on earth was. Below I included anonymous statements from friends, family and coworkers on what they think their purpose is:

“To lead people to Christ and to help others from our own experiences”

“To make disciples and to set the example for others that Christ did”

“Before knowing Christ, it was to live my life to the fullest, and strive for the American Dream. My views on life changed when Christ entered. Not saying my 16-year-old self instantly found the meaning for being on Earth, but my view and purpose began to change. My heart started hurting for things I never thought of, places I couldn’t imagine going and people I hardly knew. A few years ago, a statement was said while serving with a local church in Maine. This began to be my life motto and what I strive for daily, ‘To love Jesus, love others and help others Love Jesus.’ So, I guess you can say that’s my purpose for living on Earth, until one day being called home.”

“That’s a good question, and there are a lot of different answers to it. I think we are supposed to be living our life for the Lord any way possible. He made us and created us to serve and praise Him even if we get a little lost along the way. We also need to help others realize why we are on the earth. Some people don’t realize why we are here and what we are supposed to do, so we are also on this earth to help people understand and believe in Christ. So, we need to share His word and share about Him to others. Serve him in any way possible, and that may mean helping others. Once we get done serving him on Earth, He will call us home, and he’ll say well done my good and faithful SERVANT!”

“I honestly haven’t had anyone ask me this question; I’ve never really thought about it til now. I believe someone can think they know their purpose on Earth but really you never truly know until you’re dead. Everyone on this earth is put here for a reason, that much is certain. I believe someone isn’t here for just one purpose simply because I might be here to bring happiness to one person but also to bring the opposite to someone else. Just like an internet personality: they may be the light in someone’s life, but they can also be there to encourage someone to do the same things but differently. Everyone has haters. But everyone has someone that loves them too. Every person in your life you encounter is meant to be like a puzzle piece that will help you become and see the big picture.”

These are all real answers from real people, some of them different but some of them the same.

As a teacher, when we write lesson plans, we start with the end goal and work backwards. We call this backward design because we want to make sure what we teach our students will get them to where they need to be by the end of the lesson. I want to do that as well in this blog.

I believe no one can understand their purpose until they understand what is after this life. Some reading this may believe that there is no life after this one, that this world is it, and after this world is nothing—that there is no point to this life other than to live and die. For the person who believes that, my heart is saddened.

There are others who believe that there is a God, but He wants us all to be happy and live our best lives in which we all will go to Heaven in the end. Like God is a get out of jail free card. While I do believe our God is real and is merciful, that simply is not the case either. God is loving but just. He cannot be around sin in which humans are simply made up of sin; that is why Jesus Christ had to intervene. I believe the afterlife will be either A. The most amazing, unimaginable place full of worship or B. An eternal suffering. The Bible mentions what the afterlife will be like:

1. There will be a New Earth and New Heaven (Revelation 21:1) (Isaiah 65:17)

2. The old Earth and Heaven will be gone (Revelation 21:1)

3. Sins that were thrown into the sea (Micah 7:19) will no longer exist (Revelation 21:1)

4. There will be a New Jerusalem that will be placed between Heaven and Earth (Revelation 21:2) (Revelation 21:10)

5. God will live among us (Revelation 21:3)

6. There will be no tears, death, grief, pain, or crying (Revelation 21:4)

7. We will not remember previous things (Revelation 21:4) (Isaiah 65:17) (2 Corinthians 5:8). I believe we will see our friends and family on judgement day and recognize them, however, if they are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, then when God wipes away our tears then He will wipe away those memories as well (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

8. People who do not believe will be cast into the lake that burns fire and sulfur for a second death (Revelation 21:8)

9. In the New Jerusalem, there will not be a sanctuary because God will be dwelling there (Revelation 21:22)

10. The New Jerusalem will not need a sun or moon (Revelation 21:23)

11. Only people written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be allowed to enter (Revelation 21:27)

12. A river will run through the new Jerusalem with a tree on both sides producing fruit to heal the land (Revelation 22:1-2)

13. We will be God’s slaves (Revelation 22:8-9), and we shall serve him (Revelation 22:3)

14. Jerusalem will bring God joy and gladness (Isaiah 65:19)

15. Babies will no longer die, and elderly people shall live longer (Isaiah 65:20)

16. We will have work to do in Heaven (Isaiah 65:21-23)

17. The Gate to the Kingdom of Heaven will be narrow (Matthew 7:13)

18. False prophets will try to get to Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23)

19. Jesus went to prepare a place for us (John 14:3) (Hebrews 11:16)

20. The only way to get to the Father is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6)

21. The Christlike will be separated from the worldly (Matthew 25:31-46)

22. We will not become angels (Matthew 17) (1 Peter 1:12)

23. There will be worship in Heaven (Revelation 5:13)

24. We will feast with God (Luke 22:30) (Matthew 8:11)

25. There will be a celebration (Revelation 19:9)

In Philippians 3:17, Paul is telling us to imitate the way he lives followed by verses 19-21 which say “Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven, for which we eagerly wait for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.”

So, what is our purpose while on this planet? Well, if you believe what the Bible says about the afterlife, then the Bible also offers us great insight to what God says our purpose is:

1. God created us with a purpose prior to our life on Earth (Ephesians 2:8-10)

2. We are called to be in relationship with God (Genesis 2-3) (John 3:16)

3. We are called to make disciples of all nations and baptizing them—to teach them to obey God’s commands (Matthew 28:18-20)

4. Be a servant full of love and compassion (Philippians 2:1-8)

5. Know Christ (Philippians 3:8-11)

6. Setting our eyes on the Kingdom of God (Colossians 3:2)

7. Getting rid of worldly desires and striving for Godly ones (Colossians 3:5-17)

8. Remain in Christ (John 15)

Our purpose isn’t about finding happiness. If that was the case, we would constantly be searching because happiness is fleeting. Our purpose isn’t the career we choose. I believe God puts a passion inside of all of us in order to fulfill his purpose. Some of us are missionaries used to spread the gospel; some are pastors used to build up the Church; some are actors used to show people how a life can be used to spread his Word; some are teachers to love on children for them to go out and share the word; some will be writers, to share God’s goodness in a different light.

The list can go on forever. However, I believe we all have the same purpose in this life—we just achieve it differently then others. So next time you ask yourself what the point of this life is, it’s always been about having a relationship with God and growing His Kingdom.

You matter,

Hailey