The Purpose of Life

The Purpose of Life

What’s the purpose of life?

It’s the question that sneaks into our quiet moments, often uninvited. It’s the one we ask when things feel heavy, when we’re lost, or when everything we thought would satisfy us… doesn’t. It’s the question that echoes after a major life change, a loss, or a birthday that makes us reflect on how much time has passed. And it’s the kind of question we don’t always want to ask—because we’re afraid we won’t like the answer.

For years, I chased answers in all the usual places: achievement, status, busyness, approval, perfection. I thought purpose meant reaching some invisible milestone that would finally make me feel like I mattered. I thought purpose had to be earned. That it was something “out there” I had to find. But I’ve come to believe that the purpose of life isn’t found in the loud, flashy, or extraordinary moments. It’s found in the ordinary ones—the ones we overlook while we’re busy trying to prove we’re worthy of existing.

We tend to think purpose is this grand, fixed destination—some impressive calling, some title, some shiny thing we achieve. But maybe it’s not. Maybe purpose isn’t a job or a dream or a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Maybe it’s a collection of small, sacred acts we repeat every day.

Maybe the purpose of life is to show up for people.
To love well.
To listen when someone needs to be heard.
To forgive, even when it's hard.
To share laughter in the midst of chaos.
To offer a hug that says, “You’re not alone.”
To be a steady presence when the world feels unstable.

Maybe purpose is in the way we greet strangers, how we make people feel seen, how we handle disappointment, how we carry kindness like a currency.

I think we’re all wired to want more—more impact, more clarity, more meaning. That’s not a flaw. That longing is part of our humanity. But sometimes, we look so hard for purpose that we miss the purpose already unfolding in the lives we touch, the relationships we nurture, and the growth we undergo when no one is watching.

Purpose isn’t always loud. It’s not always obvious. It’s not always easy.
Sometimes it’s found in simply trying again.
Sometimes it’s getting out of bed when you don’t feel like it.
Sometimes it’s showing up for someone else even when you’re hurting too.
Sometimes it’s deciding to heal, to forgive, to grow, to live fully—even when life hasn’t made it easy.

I don’t think we’re meant to have all the answers. But I do believe this:
You’re here for a reason.
You matter—whether or not you’ve figured everything out.
And even if your purpose changes over time (because it will), you’re still allowed to live with meaning in every season.

So if you’re searching for purpose today, don’t start by looking ahead.
Start by looking around.
Start with who needs your compassion, your gifts, your voice, your presence.
Start with what makes your heart come alive, even if it’s quiet and unseen.
And above all, start with grace. Because sometimes the greatest purpose isn’t in what we accomplish—it’s in how we love through it all.