Discover Your Purpose

Q: What part of my purpose in living is a discovery of nature and what part is an invention of my mind?

A: Your purpose is not an invention of your mind but of the mind of God, and so is nature. And you discover your purpose, just as you discover the laws of nature by going within. The word “invent” is from the Latin venire “to come” and in or “within.” God invented the laws of nature (physics, mathematics, biology, etc.) for scientists to discover. He invented your purpose, your reason for being for you to discover. We discover by going within to the mystery that lies hidden under layers of ignorance.

Scientists discover the laws of nature by observing events (from the Latin “to come out of”). Something happens in nature or a controlled experiment and they work from the effect back to the cause. In your life, events happen, and you can resist them and suffer or accept them and discover your purpose. What is happening now just is. It has no negative qualities associated with it, no labels at all, neither good nor bad.

A pandemic wipes out millions of people and affects the lives of billions around the world. What is your purpose in this event? For some, it may mean traveling to hard-hit areas and using their nursing skills to help other. For a few, it may mean finding a cure. For others, it may mean staying in their home and spending their freed-up time doing what they’ve put off doing for years that they knew deep down was their purpose in living such as writing a book or blog or recording videos to enlighten others.

Every event that happens is a sign pointing the way to a fulfilling life. They aren’t just random happenstances. There is an order in the midst of apparent chaos. We need to be one with the mind of God to see the far-reaching (from the past and into the future) causes and effects of every event. But, as most of us do not have this cosmic perspective, we just have to know in our hearts that everything that happens is exactly as its meant to be for the greatest growth of all concerned.

The storm comes and floods, but in its wake, the lilies of the field blossom. So don’t worry when seemingly bad things happen, for you will soon discover your purpose. Pray that you discover your purpose. Like a scientist, go within.