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8 May

Your “Raison d’Être” = Purpose

   Recently, a friend and I were “venting” over how bored we were. Granted, we’re both working from home but something was still missing, something we want back in the midst of this whole societal freeze. And it’s not just the finances or the isolation—although those are two huge factors—but there’s something else and we just couldn’t put our collective fingers on it. Moreover, we’re not the only ones wondering. The longer this pandemic lockdown lasts, the more many people are feeling irritable, angry, listless and especially depressed. So what’s the missing piece? Later it hit me:

   Many people are literally being deprived of pursuing their purpose in life.

   Without purpose, we wither—emotionally, creatively, and spiritually. Not having a purpose in life—or being prohibited from fulfilling it—literally sucks the wind from our sails.

 

What Is “Purpose”?

   The French have a phrase for purpose: raison d’être—“reason to be”. That pretty much sums it up. Our purpose in life is the reason we exist; it’s the reason we get up in the morning, the reason we go to work day in and day out for a lifetime, and the reason we don’t quit when it gets hard. Our life’s purpose is the reason we choose to become educated in a particular field, the reason we select a particular job or profession, or the reason we go into ministry. It’s the reason we start a business or write a book or pursue a passion, the reason we volunteer to advance a particular cause, and certainly the reason we get married and have children. 

 

             Our purpose in life encapsulates all we hold dear: our hopes, dreams and destiny.

  

   Without that purpose in life, we often lift our eyes to the heavens and ask “Why am I here?” And when we have no answer to that question, we wander aimlessly through life and—that’s all we do.

   These days, that’s what many people are doing. The “pause” button that we hear so much about is not only pausing our society, it’s putting our hearts, minds and souls on pause as well. Even if we’re still working, if that work is limited to this isolated space or that inadequate method, then we’re still feeling the lack of freedom to fulfill that thing that gives life to our lives.

 

“Souls” At Risk

    We often think of the word “soul” in reference to the eternal spirit of a person. But actually, the term more accurately describes the core of our minds, wills and emotions. We have a mind to reason, a will to make decisions, and emotions to experience and express our feelings. So when our minds can’t make sense of circumstances and when our wills have no say and no control over those circumstances, those two factors influence our emotions. That’s when we feel angry, hopeless, and/or depressed. The pursuit of our purpose has been denied us and we have little or no power to get back to it.

   Even in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were assigned a job to do—their hearts, minds and souls needed a purpose to pursue. God knew that they needed to find work that mattered in order to feel fulfilled so he gave them the animals to care for. In nurturing their pets—from the lion to the lamb—they had a reason to exist. Moreover, they felt needed. The animals needed their care and so they knew their work mattered.

 

We were never created to be idle. In work, in creativity, we find our purpose and we thrive. Denied that reason to be, our hearts wilt.

So What Do We Do?

   That’s the question now, isn’t it? What can we do to inspire hope again and to feel the joy of knowing that somewhere, somehow, our efforts matter? The answer is that we do what we can in the midst of this unprecedented “pause” when the whole world is chomping at the bit to get back to what feels normal and familiar. Essentially, we have to find another purpose. And many people have. We’ve all heard stories of people stepping up to help essential workers by making masks or sending meals to their places of work. Others are helping to secure food, pack it in boxes, and distribute it to those who need it. Others are opening their businesses to meet needs other than what they were intended for. Others are visiting friends, neighbors and community members—as it’s safe to do so—to do their grocery shopping or simply to check in, visit by phone, or give an “air hug”. I know a man who leads worship and has taken his passion to his front porch to inspire those in his neighborhood who are missing it from their own churches. And his neighbors love it!

   There is much we can do during this time for the good of others—and for the good of our own souls. Let your creativity guide you. Plant some flowers for a neighbor as you’re doing your own. Send a pizza to over-worked first responders or to a family who, right now, cannot afford such a treat. And pray for one another and for our nation—which is the most essential and effective thing any of us can do right now.

   Though it sounds simple, let’s put this “pause” to work for us—and maybe, just maybe, we’ll discover a purpose for our lives that before, we never knew existed.

 

 

Cynthia Noble
4 Comments
  • Amy

    Thank you for taking the negative and making it positive … we all have a purpose in life and now it is a different purpose that we need to fulfill by starting each new day with a grateful heart ❤️

    May 8, 2020 at 9:07 pm
  • john

    very interesting read Cindy. I would have thought since I know you that somewhere in there you would have mentioned a return to God himself. I myself think this pandemic was brought about by God who realizes that he is losing souls to their busy lives, those same people who say they have no time for God or what had God done for me lately. well much like the great flood of Nozhs time this pandemic has taken control of the whole world and given it pause. A pause to reflect on what is important in your life and a time to return to our Lord and creator. unfortunately I am not seeing much mention of God throughout this entire mess and that saddens me as I’m sure it saddens him.

    May 14, 2020 at 8:22 am