There comes a time in life when one wonders what his or her purpose is. There comes a time when we ask ourselves, “what does everything mean and what purpose do I serve?” College is a pivotal transitional period where one often ponders these questions, especially when on the verge of jumping head first out of the classroom and into the “real world.” WIth emphasis based on grade point average, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, how many internships one has, the walls certainly begin to close in on students as graduation nears. On top of that, friends and loved ones are constantly inquiring; “what do you want to do with your degree? Where do you see yourself in x amount of years? What career will you choose? When do you think you’ll get married?” Needless to say, this time in life is fueled by questions from both the inside and outside. It is overwhelming and confusing and can dilute self confidence as well as promote anxiety. But even with all the chaos of life changes, things become much easier when we turn our focus to the things that really matter and away from the things that don’t.
As a college student myself, I often spend a lot of time thinking about who I am now, who I will become in the future, what my dreams are, what I am potentially capable of, what I’m good at, what I’m worth, what makes me unique, etc. As you might already be able to tell, all of these questions potentially point to just one — what is my purpose? I personally believe that there is too much value being placed on how much a someone does and not enough emphasis on who someone truly is. The truth is, humans are not products or machines whose value comes their ability to perform a task. C.S. Lewis said, “you are not a body, but a soul with a body.” It shouldn’t matter how talented, smart, or attractive you are, that’s not where you’re worth is placed. This is something that I struggle with and I know that I am much too hard on myself. The standard of something is not always the “ideal,” so why then are we breaking our backs and losing our minds just to prove how much we know or how eloquently we can form a sentence.
Greek rhetorician Aristotle believed that a man’s character was defined by his ability to speak. However, when the later Quintilian emerged, he stated that a man’s character should not be defined by how well he can speak, but by his actions and deeds over the course of his life. I think we often fail to have the same perspective but believe that we should be like minded like Quintilian in this way. The value of someone comes from their character, and character is defined by actions and life choices. Purpose comes from something else, something more. Purpose is defined by someone’s inner being. As a Christian, I believe such purpose is instilled in us by God. And although I do not know everything about God’s purpose, our choices, God’s hand in our choices, I know that our purpose and identity comes from who we are in Him. Even if you are not a Christian and don’t agree with me in this, you cannot deny that there is a tug to believe that you are defined by something more than superficial deeds and speech.
“The Purpose of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” -Proverbs 20:5
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” -Romans 8:28
