How to Find Significance and Purpose for Your Life

Many of us hope that in some small way our life will have significance and purpose. We invest our time and spend our money on things that we believe will matter. Unfortunately, no matter how much we do to build a life that has significance, we are left wondering, "I am I doing enough? and "Will what I am doing really matter?"

Self-love, self-esteem and self-worth have become the focus of our generation. The bookstores offer us isles of self-help books that ask you to become deeply introspective as a first step toward personal growth. However, God's plan for your life is just the opposite. He asks us to keep our eyes directed on Him.

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

Scripture warns us that we live in a world in which we will fight against the spiritual forces. The enemy will try to make us depressed, lower our self-esteem, and destroy of faith.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 (NAS)

If you have been striving to find your self-worth, this pursuit is indeed a worthy one. What it is important to understand, however, is that our hunger for self-worth is a God-given hunger that only He can satisfy. He placed it in us so that we would search for him. Any introspective look at your life, or pursuit of approval from friends or family will ultimately leave you disappointed. It is only when you place your focus on God that your life will have meaning, and your desire for self-worth will be fulfilled.

The old hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, is a wonderful picture of the contentment we feel when we focus on Him, instead of ourselves.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.