A while back, I started working through a book titled “The Nine Laws” by Ivan Throne. There’s a lot of philosophical content there, but one of the biggest things I really had to think about was the Third Law of Purpose.
Clearly, my purpose in this world is to worship God. This has been evident in my life for as long as I can remember, though as a child I didn’t know what it was to be used for. Everything I am passionate about, everything I am gifted in, every opportunity I have taken has led me closer to this realization.
I am a worshipper. So why doesn’t my life reflect that singular purpose?
I am distracted by non-essentials. I think one of the greatest crimes of our generation is pushing the idea that nothing has eternal value. And if nothing is eternal, then everything is temporal, and you might as well get whatever you can, right?
But there is so much more to life than “getting the most toys.” As a Christian, we know Jesus (the Ultimate Sensei) was focused on things of Heaven, not of Earth. He knew the mundane things we care about have no lasting impact in the spiritual realm. Repeatedly, He spoke “What is the Kingdom of God like?” because people naturally have no clue.
Which parts of my life have eternal impact? Which parts of your life have eternal impact?
My job? My writing? My music? My prayer life? Where do I see God moving, and where do I want to spend my time?
I’ll be honest, I don’t see God moving much in my job. I work in an office. It’s nice, I like my coworkers, and I like my job. But it’s not a ministry. It’s not serving God as much as it’s serving my family and myself by providing a wage.
Don’t get me wrong: there’s nothing wrong with providing for my family. But despite people telling me “that’s a ministry!” I never feel like it is. It doesn’t fulfill me, it doesn’t provide opportunities to minister, and it doesn’t fulfill my purpose- to be a worshipper.
I don’t know where God wants me to be just yet. But I’m praying that He shows me where I can minister, and what that will look like. I’m okay with going into ministry full time now; but for years I wasn’t. I remember telling God “I will never do worship ministry for money ever again” because I’d been burned so many times.
There’s something to be said for that, though… most churches I’ve been in didn’t have worship ministry as much as they had music ministry. And just because you’re playing music in church does not make it worship. Not even close!
No, I don’t want to be part of “music ministry.” I want to worship with everything I have. No restraints, like King David. Holding nothing back. This is true worship. Most churches have never seen that, and wouldn’t know what to do with it if they did.
But I’ve seen true worship, and it’s changed me. And I’ve discovered it’s an honor to help train other people to be worshippers as well.
This is my life’s purpose: to worship God with complete self abandon, and train up others to do the same.
This is my eternal calling. This is my purpose.
Everything else in my life is secondary: I need to live like it.