Knowing Your Purpose
The stress of life can often feel confusing as we so quickly transition from one stage in life to another. No matter what stage you are in, Christianity offers a blueprint we can always look back on to see God’s design for everyday living. In this series, we look to God’s “blueprint” in Scripture to see what it means to flourish no matter where life takes us.
Scripture: Romans 12:1-9
What is your purpose in life? Is it working tirelessly until retirement, securing your family's future, or simply navigating the present with a plan to tackle future challenges? Whatever your stage in life, we all reach a point where we ponder, "What's next?" For those who are religious, this question might take the form of, "God, what's your plan for me?" In these moments, it's essential to revisit the fundamentals of life's expectations and our capabilities. This intersection is what Christianity has traditionally referred to as "God's will." In our passage, the Apostle Paul aims to provide new believers in Rome with a foundation for discerning God's will. To achieve this, he offers three key pieces of advice.
Live your life on the altar
In this charge, Paul assumes that everyone’s lives are lived on an altar. The question is which altar is the true one? Whether it's long work hours or idolizing certain people’s opinions, we are constantly surrounded by altars that demand our sacrifices. The distinctive feature of the Christian God's altar is that it's already stained and satisfied by the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In contrast to other altars, whose standards are superficial and sacrifices are never-ending, faith in Jesus allows us to confidently climb onto God's altar because the perfect sacrifice has already been made. It is a sacrifice that was made once and for all, and therefore we can be bold in our living knowing that the proverbial knife has already come down. This sets forth a new pattern of living where our lives can now be lived to the full.
Do what is “good, acceptable, and perfect”
In verse 2, Paul describes God's will as "good, acceptable, and perfect." While these qualities indeed characterize God's will, Paul's meaning is more specific and practical. Firstly, he encourages judging options based on what is honorable, with a focus on loving our neighbors and avoiding dishonesty. Secondly, what is acceptable involves doing things for God, not for any other reason. Lastly, perfection is better understood as aligning with our purpose rather than seeking flawlessness. The call here is to be faithful and true to who God created us to be, avoiding the pitfalls of perfectionism. Therefore, instead of these descriptors having an anxiety-inducing effect on our decision-making, God’s will allows us to be free to choose what is true to our purpose— granted, it is honorable, oriented to God, and purposeful.
Know Yourself with "Sober Judgment"
To be faithful to our purpose, Paul emphasizes knowing ourselves fully with "sober judgment." This means avoiding extremes of ego inflation or excessive self-pity when discerning life's next steps. To be clear, Paul here is advocating for true humility which is our greatest asset in determining the course of our lives. Consider how many times we have been led astray by trying to build on our highest successes only to be brought down to earth again unexpectedly. Or perhaps we never took a chance on a new opportunity because we were too down on ourselves after our last failure. Neither response here is helpful in the long run nor informative for self-growth. The answer according to Paul is to consider the blueprint of how God has created us in its entirety. To be fully sober and aware of all our successes and our failures. This in turn will lead us to fully appreciate the gifts God has given us both as individuals and as a community. Paul illustrates this by listing seven gifts that make up the body of Christ, highlighting the necessity of diversity in discernment. No two people are the same, and diversity within the body is crucial for gaining a full picture of God's will. Conversely, if we all tried to look and act the same in our insecurities, we would be doomed to a narrow view of the future and would miss out on countless possibilities.
In summary, while often considered confusing and even restrictive, the will of God was always designed to be freeing. The point of choosing to live our lives on the altar isn’t that we would be limiting ourselves to drudgery and pain but that this is how we can become our true selves. This takes the courage to truly look in the mirror and see our imperfections in a new light. No longer are we threatened by them but now we see how God is shaping us to form a new creation where every person plays a role. No one is left out and each gift is brought to its true potential in the community. Therefore, in light of this freedom, let us be bold in our decision-making knowing that the sacrifice has already been made and everything we do moving forward is building towards an eternity that is assured.
Study questions:
How does the idea of living on the altar, as mentioned in the article, resonate with your current lifestyle and priorities?
How do you approach decision-making in your life? Do you consider whether your choices align with what is "good, acceptable, and perfect" as outlined in the blog post?
What does it mean to have “sober judgment” in our decision making and how does that shape how you approach your discernment?
According to the list of spiritual gifts in verses 6-8, which ones resonate most with you? Why?
How does the notion that God's will is designed to be freeing resonate with your understanding of faith and purpose?
