Why Am I Here?

Is this not the quintessential question asked by every person at some point in their life? Why am I here? What is the purpose for my existence on this earth?

Younger people may not think much about this question because they have plenty of time and death seems so far off. Older people may stop asking in order to find peace with their efforts toward significance. It is somewhere in the middle ages that people tend to truly wrestle or get depressed over their lack of purpose. The good news is that regardless of age, regardless of what has or has not been done, there is a reason you are here.

If God’s purpose of salvation was only to get people to heaven, then the moment they prayed to receive Jesus they would die on the spot. Since that is not the case, consider for a moment that God has left you here because He has something for you to do. Pursuing what that something is does not need to be cause for alarm, but should be a healthy pursuit of every human being on earth.

Jesus knew His purpose, and made it very clear on multiple occasions. The Bible says,” for this purpose was the son of God made manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b). Jesus said, “I must go preach the kingdom of God to the next town because it is for this reason I am sent” (Luke 4:43). He also clarified that He was here to do the work of His Father (John 6:38).

I must go preach the kingdom of God to the next town because it is for this reason I am sent (Luke 4:43)

There are many other verses where Jesus stated His purpose very clearly. His words and statements of purpose may slightly differ each time, but everything He said and did pointed to one thing; to do God’s will and to please Him in every way. Jesus knew His purpose was to fulfill the plan that God had pre-ordained for His life and it gave Him great joy to do so. We may not have His wisdom yet, but I assure you, He has a way for you to know your purpose as well.

How can you find your purpose for being here? I would ponder that most of you already know deep in your heart why you are here (1 John 2:20, Ephesians 1:9). Three reasons you may not acknowledge God’s plan are; a lack of confidence, confusion or a lack of feeling, and a lack of drive despite the assurance of blessing (Isaiah 1:19).

God would not choose a purpose for you without equipping you to complete the work that He has begun (Philippians 1:6). So, you can either accept and learn to walk in it, or you can just keep asking yourself why your life continues to lack real purpose and meaning. Your choice.

I do not have all of the answers, but I do have some questions you can ask to help you learn why you are here. And then I have some suggestions from God‘s word to help you take steps toward fulfilling the wonderful purpose in your life. 

  1. What makes you angry? Moses was angry when he saw his brother whipped and it sparked inside of him a vision to deliver an entire nation. Righteous anger that compels you to forsake your personal limitations in order to effect change now is a strong indication of a call of God upon your life. 
  2. What gives you great joy? 1 Chronicles 13 tells us that David was filled with joy when given the task of returning the Ark to the house of God. While he met with much resistance, he was filled with even greater joy when he fulfilled this mission in 1 Chronicles 15. If you are abiding in God, consider what in life gives you the greatest joy. Does it mean even more to you because it is pleasing to God? Then that could be the thing for which you were put on the earth to do.
  3. What have you naturally gravitated towards your entire life? Joseph had a dream as a young man. He had dreams of being a ruler. This great purpose had been in his heart from a young age. As long as you can remember you have gravitated towards something. You may have had a passion for animals, for helping the poor, or encouraging those who are sick or in prison. It could be several things, but, as long as you can remember, you have had a passion and gifting for something that keeps pulling you back time and again.

I believe that answering these questions will help confirm in your heart why you are here and help you move past any lingering doubts and fears. Next, you want to be sure that you are following the voice of God. To help you confirm this, here are some helpful tips to confirm you are aligning the answers to the questions above to His word;

  1. Do I have peace in my heart? Colossians 3:15a says, “let the peace of God rule your heart…” If you do not have peace in your heart, then God is not in it. Sometimes He wants you to do something, but it is not time yet. We must be patient until we get a sense of peace from God.
  2. Is God’s word in me richly? Colossians 3:16 teaches us to let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you. If our lives are not conformed to the word of God, then we cannot be sure that we are following the voice of God.
  3. Do spiritual leaders agree? The scripture also says there is safety in the multitude of counsel (Proverbs 11:14). Seek godly counsel from wise people who are discerning and experienced in walking with the Lord. They know how to test every idea to see if it is of God or not. They will pray and they will see if it is wise for you to do this thing.

Once you have peace in your heart, the word of God is in you richly, godly leaders are in agreement with you, and you are following your heart with all the passion you have there is no way for you to miss the will of God for your life. The Bible teaches that it is God’s desire for us to know His will for our life (Ephesians 1:9). Our prayer is that you find, pursue and fulfill your reason for being here! 


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President, Agape International
Until Every Tribe Has Heard