Are you living life with purpose? The Bible has a lot to say about living life to the fullest. But are there Bible verses about living life with purpose? As we look at these Bible verses about purpose, remember that God has a plan in everything and your life is not without purpose.
This page may contain affiliate links. To view my full affiliate link disclosure, click here.
What is God’s Purpose for your Life? And how do you find it?
Have you ever wondered what God’s true purpose in your life is? Maybe you have heard the phrase, “Man’s chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” You might even believe that. But what is God’s specific plan for my life? Why am I here? What am I destined to do? Why do I feel like I’m living without purpose?
You know that God has a purpose for your life. Your life is not destined for drudgery and dismal existence. The Bible is filled with passages of joy, hope, and love. We were made to feel all these emotions. We were made with a purpose, one that we can grasp and live.
I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
Psalm 57:2-3 ESV
How do you know if you are not living in God’s purpose? The Bible is actually quite clear on this. All you need to do is open your Bible and scan some clear passages.
There is a bit of a conundrum in this question though. If you have studied the Bible for any length of time, you may find yourself contemplating passages and concepts that seem to contradict themselves. This is one of those times. You see in one sense; you are living in God’s purpose strictly because God has ordained every single moment of this earth and life.
As we see in Psalms 57, God will fulfill his purpose for you, yet our actions and choices matter because God tells us that we have free will.
Here are three indications that you may not be living on purpose.
1. You are living in blatant sin
This one is rather obvious but bears noting, if you are living in sin, that is a direct indication that you are not living in God’s purpose. God’s commandments are there for a reason, they will keep you happier and more content in the long run.
Flee from sin!
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 ESV
2. You feel no fulfillment and no joy
Sometimes emotions can be misleading. There is a mirage of mental health issues that can affect how we feel and respond to events. It’s important to keep in mind that we are talking about this subject in a broad sense.
After all, we don’t feel perfect emotions on this side of eternity. However, they can be a gauge that indicates our emotional health. God gave us emotions for a reason. Happiness and sadness are opposites on the emotional spectrum, but they are beautiful indicators of our health.
Think for a second about the fruits of the spirit. Galatians 5 is a popular section of verses
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
One of the fruits of the spirit is JOY! Although every second of our life does not need to emulate joy, it should be a root emotion that we feel.
Fulfillment is another indicator of purpose. God created us with unique talents and abilities. Whether it is a job, hobby, motherhood, or another purposeful endeavor, we should find fulfillment in those things that God has charged us with. We should feel invigorated to participate in what God has gifted us with. If you instead feel mind-numbing drudgery, this is another indicator that something is amiss.
3. Your prayer and Bible times feel dull
There are seasons in life where our Bible and prayer times are going to be more about steadfastness and obedience than feeling anything.
However, as with all of these, quiet times that are dull are an indicator of a deeper issue. The Word of God should be your lifeblood. Prayer should be a joy.
10 Bible Verses about Living Life with Purpose
These are Bible verses about living life with purpose. They are meant to guide you as you think through what your purpose in life is. All verses have been quoted from the ESV version of the Bible. Our purpose will always be something more or greater than ourselves. Jesus’ purpose on earth was certainly greater than his human self, but we can also see this in nature. A fruit tree does not eat its own fruit. A fruit tree provides shade, food, and even shelter for other living creatures. Likewise, your purpose will be for something greater than yourself. You have gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given to you that can be used to minister to those around you.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Remember you have been chosen by Christ. There should be peace about being a son or daughter of Christ, but also an urgency to live your life with purpose because of the great gift you have been given.
Colossians 1:16
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him.
You were created by God and your purpose will be for him. We don’t create something that does not serve us in some manner. Even in the simple meals we prepare, we create them for a purpose. Nourishing and wholesome meals are created to sustain our bodies. We created it for a purpose. God created you for a purpose as well, his purpose ultimately will be to serve himself, but that does not mean that you will not have fulfillment in that purpose.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
It can be quite a difficult task to live in a season where you feel like your purpose is not being fulfilled. Worse yet, a season where you don’t know what your purpose is. In those times, rest in the sovereignty of God’s plan and the knowledge that there are seasons of life and we can find joy in each season, even if that season does not make sense to our finite minds.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)
There is certainly comfort in knowing that God has plans for our lives. This declaration in Jeremiah 29:11 was specifically written to the Israelites, however, we can still find application today in our lives and take comfort in the fact that God does have a future for us and knows those exact plans!
Jeremiah 32:19
Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. (NIV)
This passage certainly can get controversial because it seems like a weird version of a reward system! However, the Bible is clear, we cannot just simply do whatever we wish. Even as children of God we still need to walk according to the scripture. He knows our victories and sins and although there is still grace, he does “reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.”
Job 42:2
“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (NIV)
Sometimes I wonder what God thinks of us trying to run our lives on our own, without consulting his will. Does his just shake his head and wonder when we will ‘get it’. I like to think God is lovingly looking down on us waiting for his children to come back into his soverign will. No plan of his can be thwarted. Our soverign Lord has the final say.
Proverbs 16:4
The LORD works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster. (NIV)
As we look to live our life with purpose, it’s important that we remember that God is working out everything for good. As we walk in purpose and seek to use our gifts and talents for him and his will, he may take us down paths that we do not expect. We may have seasons that feel hard and painful. Even in these times, we can remember that God is working our everything to its proper end.
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
This is another passage that indicates that God’s plans are sovereign. We are meant to walk in obedience to God’s will, commandments, and precepts. He will reveal what our purpose in life is in good times. His purpose will stand as our attempts at living our lives ebb and flow.
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Are you a child of God? Yes? Then take comfort in that God will work everything together for good. In the seasons of life where your purpose does not make sense, keep obeying and trusting in God. He has called you!
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)
We are ending this passage because it is a final reminder that everything that God has created has a purpose. God has a way of taking our hurts, pains, and struggles and turning them into something good. Often his good is beyond anything that we could have previously fathomed. God has created you for good. Rest in his word, pray, and seek his will. Your purpose will be revealed.
Final Thoughts on Bible Verses About Living Life with Purpose
Do not doubt that God has a purpose for everything. Even if your life does not feel purposeful right now, God in his sovereignty even has a purpose for that. Be grateful to God in all things because he has graced you with life.
Trust in him. Trust that there is a plan. Flee from sin and dive deep into scripture. Find your fulfillment, not in this world and its pleasures, but in your Savior and His deep mercies and grace.
Pin me for later!
