30 Days of Purpose – 1 – Why Am I Even Here? Made for More

https://youtu.be/-VkPX-_N9V0?si=_CUPOAwJg7AmJANK NEW SERIES – Simple theme – Make Every Day Matter. Stop living on autopilot. Start living with purpose. Series Outline May 10 Mother’s Day: When You Feel Like You’re Not Enough May 17 Running on Empty – Filled for a Purpose – serving from God’s strength. May 24 Busy… but Not Building Anything – Jesus teaches us how to build a life that lasts. May 31 The Cost of Coasting – Grow Up. Go Out. – purpose moves outward into mission. 30 Day Purpose Plan We need a plan!  Scan to download. One simple step each day: Scripture, thought, action step, prayer. Three minutes a day. This series is not just something to hear. It is something to live. I have reached the end of my day and thought: I was busy all day, but what did I actually live for? I got things done: Answered messages Handled problems Made decisions Showed up Checked things off the list But underneath: Is this it? Is this what my life is supposed to be? Shows up: Driving home tired Scrolling and losing another hour Full calendar, empty heart Life looks fine outside, but inside you are not ok. This series – not just busyness… stress… bad habits…We are going after the deeper question: Why Am I Even Here? – Made for More We know this question. Wake up behind. Move through day reacting: Phone rings Text comes in Meeting gets added Bill is due Kid needs help Deadline moves closer Schedule changes Problem cannot wait How we describe this…“I’m just putting out fires.” Some fires have to be put out. If all we ever do is put out fires, we never build anything that lasts. If all we do is survive the week, we never ask: What kind of life am I actually building? Most of us are not rebellious. We are not shaking our fist at God. We are busy, tired, distracted, and unsure how to get from the life we have to the life we were made for. This Is a Widespread Problem 57% of Americans wonder at least monthly, “How can I find more meaning and purpose in my life?” More than 1 in 5 wonder that every day. (Lifeway Research) 89% of employees want purpose in their lives, but only 18% feel like work gives them the purpose they are looking for. (McKinsey) Only 59.2% of U.S. adults expected high-quality lives five years from now, the lowest level Gallup has measured in nearly two decades. CDC reports depression rose from 8.2% to 13.1% over about a 10-year span. Among adolescents ages 12-19, the rate was 19.2%. We are so focused on Achievement. Achievement is not bad. But achievement is not the same thing as purpose. Adults chasing achievement and unsure the future will be good. Young people looking at the same race and wondering if it is worth running. Maybe the problem is not that we need to achieve more. Maybe we have been chasing achievement without purpose. Deeper question: not “How do I get more done?” but “Why am I even here?” Why Am I Even Here? – Made for More That is why I named today’s message Why Am I Even Here? But the answer is: You were made for more. If we want to know why something exists, ask the One who made it. 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. This verse answers: What was I made for? God’s Purpose Timeline Present tense – “You are God’s Handiwork Right now. Before you prove, perform, or produce. You are crafted by God. You are given – Giftings, strengths, personality, compassion, creativity, wisdom, encouragement, resilience, influence. God designed you! Everyone is a 10 at something. FIND THAT THING – It is your purpose. God put that thing in you. Past tense: Created in Christ Jesus. Not self-improvement. Not try harder. New creation. Already done. It is finished. God has already restored your purpose. Future: Good works prepared in advance. God created you and has designed your future. Before God created you, He created good work for you to do. Purpose is not: What do I want to do? What will I decide to do? Purpose is: What did God create me to do? Purpose is not invented. Purpose is discovered. When what God placed in you meets what God prepared for you, purpose comes alive. Past, present, future. 360-degree purpose in every direction. We should know what Jesus says about purpose. Matthew 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6: Jesus talks about worry, food, drink, clothes, tomorrow. Stuff we chase, stress over, and think will secure us. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Kingdom is not empty religion: Not denominationalism Not rule-keeping Not sitting in a church building Trying to keep all the religious rules The kingdom is God’s reign in real life. God’s will and purpose as ruling the force in you: Love Hope Peace Plan Purpose When forgiveness beats bitterness – that is kingdom. When generosity beats greed – that is kingdom. When service beats selfishness – that is kingdom. When obedience beats excuses – that is kingdom. When love beats fear – that is kingdom. When you fulfill what God made you to do – that is kingdom. Seek first. Not leftovers. First. All these things will be given. Not earned. Given. Grace. World: Achieve first, then maybe you matter. Jesus: Seek first the kingdom, and let God take care of the rest. Jar, big rocks, small rocks. Small rocks first – big rocks do not fit. Big rocks first – small rocks settle around them. That is Matthew 6:33. Seek first. Big rock – Purpose Faith Parenting Marriage Health Calling Career aligned with purpose Small stones crowd out the big rocks: Achievement chasing Distractions Errands Notifications Noise Pressure Small demands Decide what the big rocks are. Place purposeful things first. So what do you do with this? 3 Steps Toward Purpose 1. Realize you have a purpose We dismiss ourselves too quickly: Not talented enough… Not spiritual Not experienced Not outgoing Too old Too young Too many mistakes Do not know enough Ephesians 2:10 does not say you are God’s handiwork if you feel impressive. It says YOU ARE God’s handiwork. Stop dismissing what God designed. You were not created to do someone else’s good works. Everyone is a 10 at something. Find that thing and use it for God. 2. Notice your design Culture: You can be anything. You can achieve anything. Love the confidence, but not completely true. You were designed to be something specific and unique. LeBron: obvious basketball giftings – height, strength, coordination, durability. He could be anything he wants… not true! World champion horse jockey? That would be ignoring his design. Sometimes we ignore what God placed in us because we chase what looks impressive in someone else. Ask better questions. Want to find your purpose… as these questions. What comes naturally to me that helps others? What breaks my heart or moves me? What do people come to me for? What gives me joy when I do it? ?? Encourager, hospitable, organized, creative, good with kids, good with people, compassionate toward hurting people – that can be purpose. Purpose is using what God placed in you to bless who God placed around you. 3. Prioritize your purpose Purpose cannot stay a nice idea. It has to become first priority. Jesus said, Seek first. Not leftovers, someday, or after everything else. DO NOT JUST PRIORITIZE GETTING THINGS DONE – PRIORITIZE YOUR SPECIFIC PURPOSE Church: We need things done. We do not want to plug you into a hole because something needs doing. We want to help you find what God created you to do. Find Jesus. Follow Purpose. Go Change the World. You may work in an office to pay bills. That matters. But where are you finding and fulfilling your purpose? Life is easier, more enjoyable, and more fruitful when operating in strengths. Easier because you are no longer fighting your design. Tools can help: StrengthsFinder Personality assessments Spiritual gift assessments Prayer Conversation Serving Paying attention to joy People who know you 3. Prioritize your purpose Prioritize it. Make space. Talk about it. Pray about it. Try something. Take the next step. Imagine if we lived on purpose. Imagine if we were not the 57% wondering every month how to find meaning and purpose. Imagine if we could say: I know God made me. I know God placed gifts in me. I know God has good work for me to do. Imagine if we stopped chasing disappointing achievements and started walking in God-designed purpose. Imagine if families asked: What did God put in us, and how can we use it? Imagine if work became a place to carry kingdom purpose, not just pay bills. Church stops being something we attend. It becomes something God does through us. LIVE ON PURPOSE 1. Pray God, show me what You placed in me. What good works have You prepared? Where do You want me to take one step? 2. Start the 30-Day Purpose Plan Scan QR code. Download. Start today. Scripture, thought, action step, prayer. Three minutes a day. Space for what matters. 3. Start a Purpose Conversation Connection card: Purpose conversation. Online: leave a comment – Purpose conversation. We will follow up, pray with you, dream with you, and help you take a next step.