Too many times, folks seeking purpose in their lives come up short in finding the answers they’re looking for. Why?
I think most of the time it’s because you can’t really understand the purpose of your individual life unless and until you gain some understanding of, and appreciation for, what I call God’s Grand Plan.
What is God’s Grand Plan?
Well, let’s let the Word of God speak for itself:
Genesis 1:27-28 – So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” (Berean Standard Bible)
First, we are the only creatures that carry the image of God. We are to be like Him, and we are to reflect who He is to the creation—which is to glorify our Creator.
Second, we are to be fruitful and multiply, caring for and adding value to His creation, and filling it with more and more of His image-bearers so that God is glorified more and more.
God created man not only to reflect His image and add value to His creation, but also to have a relationship with Him. We are to be companions of and have fellowship with the Creator of the universe.
That was God’s original intention. Then it all went wrong because of man’s disobedience and refusal to submit to the clear and loving will of his Creator.
Now What?
Now God’s Grand Plan is to restore His people and His creation to their original purpose. Paradise was lost; it is to be regained. Everlasting life with God was lost; it is to be regained.
But our original purpose remains the same today, even in a fallen state of sin, death, darkness, and rebellion: to glorify God and add value to His creation.
What Does That Have To Do With My Life?
If you’ve ever been part of a team or organization, you know that once you get a basic understanding of the ‘big picture’ goals and purpose of the team or organization, your part in it begins to make more sense, and you get a clearer vision of what you need to do individually.
We’ll start to look into what all of that means—and what it looks like in real life—in the next part of this series.