10 Impactful Bible Verses about Living Life with Purpose

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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 Jesus Christ has a plan in everything and your life is not without purpose.

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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? What is my own purpose? Why am I here? What am I destined to do? Why do I feel like I’m living without purpose? May the Holy Spirit guide us in our quest to discover our appointed time and purpose in life!

Our life should be in pursuit of the glory of God, but there is more than just that. He has a holy calling for your life that should not be ignored! Our own understanding is flawed by sin, so we need our Savior and Bible to help us as we discover our purpose!

You know that God has a purpose for your life. Your life is not destined for drudgery and dismal existence. You are designed for a holy life! The Bible is filled with passages of joy, hope, and love. We were made to feel all these emotions. O Lord, we were made with a purpose, one that we can grasp and live. Thank you for creating us with purpose!

God’s Word declares:

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, our Lord Jesus 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.

I don’t think we really take the time to consider this consequence of not living life on purpose. If you are living in consistent sin, your whole life is clouded in that direct contradiction to living in God’s plan. God’s plan for you is not to live in darkness. The Bible makes this very clear. Are you a child of God living in consistent sin? FLEE! Stop and flee from it. Nothing in this world is worth the eternal consequences of living in sin. Someday our flesh will die, which is exactly what our sin is gratifying. Live in the spirit instead of the flesh!

Flee from sin! Fear God! Change.

This verse in the New Testament declares:

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.

Remember that the things that fulfill you will change over time. Your season of motherhood will change and what may have fulfilled you as a young mom will change and morph into something new as you grow in maturity. Fulfillment is an indicator of purpose, but it is not the end result of purpose. Remember our greater purpose is finding fulfillment and contentment in Christ.

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.

Learn more about spiritual wellness ➡️Spiritual wellness checkup

10 Bible Verses about Living Life with Purpose

The following Bible verses are based on 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. We are living a temporary life in pursuit of eternal life.

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 life 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.

1 Peter 2:9

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.

Colossians 1:16

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:

Ecclesistes 3:1

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.

I currently am going through a season of life where my purpose seems unclear to me. I’m not sure what the will of God is, and each day seems to make my life’s purpose more unclean instead of clearer. Ever been there? My guess is that we all have been at some point.

I’m in the season of babies, babies, babies. I’ve been pregnant or nursing, except for about an 8-month break, since June of 2017 (now September 2023) and my body is tired. There have been so many good things in life, but also an abundance of struggles.

The mercies of God are new every morning and that is something that this summer I have learned to cling to. I have also learned to rest in my season and when I don’t know what to do, I simply let God know and trust in him to make the path clear.

Remember, your season will change in time and you will look back and see much fruit as a result of a difficult period of time!

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)

Jeremiah 29:11

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!

The Lord’s purpose for your life might be unclear to you, but it is abundantly clear to our God. There should be great comfort in that truth!

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)

Jeremiah 32:19 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)

Job 42:2

Sometimes I wonder what God thinks of us trying to run our lives on our own, without consulting his will. Does he 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 sovereign will. No plan of his can be thwarted. Our sovereign Lord has the final say.

This passage from the Old Testament was when Job was going through the most difficult time of his life. The devil was controlling the circumstances of his life and it’s safe to say that Job didn’t know what God’s plan and purpose was for him. He cried out in despair wanting God to change his position in life, yet God kept saying ‘no’. Have you ever been there? You want God to move in your life and he continues to say ‘no’. It can be frustrating and infuriating!

Proverbs 16:4

The LORD works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster. (NIV)

Proverbs 16:4

As we look to live our lives with purpose, it’s important that we remember that God is working out everything for good. The Lord is preparing the Kingdom of God and our holy calling is to obey the path that he leads us to.

As we look to live our lives with purpose, it’s important that we remember that God is working out everything for good. The Lord is preparing the Kingdom of God and our holy calling is to obey the path that he leads us to.

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.

Proverbs 19:21

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.

Do you find that sometimes you get ahead of yourself with your own plans? I know I do! I often change on with my own plans without praying and consulting my heavenly Father on what the best plan for me is. After all, he is sovereign. He knows what’s best for me. Why don’t we reach out when hard times come?

What does sovereignty mean in the Bible?

It is a simple definition that has deep meaning. God has the right to exercise his ruling power over his creation. He is king, he has control over all things and can control his presence with his covenantal people. The power of Christ knows the full extent of his creation!

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.

Romans 8:28

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!

Would you not consider yourself a child of God? Let me take a moment to introduce you to my Savior Jesus and the grace of God.

We are sinners. All you need to do is take a brief look around this broken world to come to that conclusion. There is darkness inside of us all. God created this earth, and everything was good. But soon sin entered it (Genesis 3). We need a savior and God provided that in the way of Jesus Christ. We are offered forgiveness for our sins and eternal life by accepting the free gift of Jesus.

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)

Ephesians 2:10

We are ending this passage because it is a final reminder that everything that God has created has a purpose. We have a God-given 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

There are more scripture references about living life with purpose, but the above are just a few to get you started on your search. We all have unique gifts that will guide our purpose throughout our lives but at the core plans, the of the lord is for his glory. The purposeful life is not out of reach. You have a purpose and the work of your hands will not go unnoticed by our sovereign God.

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.

One thing that I have found that has helped over the years is a consistent renewal of your mind. What do I mean by this?

When life gets you down. When circumstances are out of your control. When you don’t feel like there is a purpose to life and you don’t know how to get out of that mindset, it’s time to do a daily renewal.

Here are a few tips.

• Get in your Bible multiple times a day.
• Pray. Pray. And then pray some more.
• Surround yourself with godly people.
• Remember that you have an eternal purpose.

A man’s heart is fickle. We are constantly changing. God does not change. We need to renew our minds with things that do not change like God’s Word!

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.

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