What Is Your Primary Purpose?

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Victor Franklin, the internationally renowned Austrian psychologist, wrote: “Life has meaning only if there is a purpose, a life task. The more difficult the task, the more meaningful the life.”

The Apostle Paul in summarizing his life in part said, “I have fought the good fight.”  That did not just mean I have fought well, which he had, but it meant, “I have fought a good fight worth fighting.” Emphasis, it was a fight worth fighting.

Most would agree a purpose enriches life. Jesus was right in His Matthew 6:33 exhortation.

Don’t get disillusioned if you don’t have a headline popular cause. Most of us don’t, but everyone has a cause, everyone. Fight yours well.

Don’t get discouraged if yours is hard. If it is worth fighting, find it gratifying regardless of how menial, fulfilling. After all, God hasn’t asked us to be the best at anything, He just wants us to be our best at everything.

A Billy Graham Crusade was coming to New Orleans when I was a young pastor there. In a planning meeting of ministers, Dr. J. D. Gray, the preeminent pastor in New Orleans who had taken me, a kid, under his wing challenged me. In the discussion to select a person to head the promotional team said metaphorically, “We need someone who won’t just buy the gift, but he won’t stop until he has put the bow on it.” He paused and continued, “Someone like Price.” I knew in my youth that wasn’t me, but because of who said it, it became me. He appointed me to a hard and worthy cause, and I fought it as best as I could. New Orleans was saturated with news of the crusade, and God blessed.

You may not feel up to the task God has assigned you, but because of who assigned it, give it your very best without complaining.

The theme test of my life, one I keep posted in a prominent place is: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” (Colossians 3:23) Know you have an abiding overseer, the Lord. Please Him, and you have every right to be fulfilled.

French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre observed, “You will never find peace and happiness until you are ready to commit yourself to something worth dying for.”

Give yourself away. Give yourself to the Lord. If not literally, at least figuratively, give each new day to the Lord singing, “O happy day.”