Purpose: Things With No Purpose

(percussive music) Pops always told me (laughs) "God doesn't make things with no purpose." But I just made this and I don't know what it does, right? God doesn't do that. Anything that's made has a purpose. Summer's almost over. I'm about to go away to college. I still don't know what I'm gonna do with my life. I have a secret. (bell dings) All my life I've had questions about my faith. About God and about religion. But now I'm gonna tell you all my questions, my struggles, my doubts. I hope you can handle the truth. (digital music) I only ever had one job in my life. This one, right here. (rings bell) Double cheese! I'm good at it. I love working with my family, but (rings bell) Sweet and salty, double, double! Henry David Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with the song still in their hearts". I don't know what the song in my heart is. Tell you what the song in your heart's gonna be if you don't keep up. Your paycheck! (sighs) Everything that's made has a reason for why it is made. Your iPhone was made for texting friends and a few other things. (cat meows) Your shades were made for lookin' like a snack. And the Spanks your mom wears were made for, well... you get the idea. If we want to know what we were made to do with our lives, we should ask our Maker. Fortunately God, our Maker, has told us our purpose. We were made to glorify God. Paul says, "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." We do that reflecting God's character to the world. His representatives on the Earth. Ty's gonna be a pastor. He always knew what he wanted to be. God's man. And I thought ministry was like the only way for me to have a meaningful life that God cared about. I really wanna do something different and I feel really guilty for it. For having my own... not having my own desires but having other dreams, having other goals. I don't wanna be a missionary. I'm really good with money and business. But is that what I'm supposed to be doing in my life? Hey, bro. One bad way of thinking, is that some things are sacred and they matter to God, while other things are secular and they don't matter to God. The problem with this way of thinking is that it would mean most of life is secular. We spend most of our time going to school, working, walking the dog, working out. Or eating. So most of us feel a little bit frustrated because we think our life and work don't really matter in the grand scheme of eternal life. We need Christians who glorify God as they live out careers as professors, police officers, and plumbers. Maybe it just means you'll show up for your job as an accountant and you'll do your job really well. And the world will be a better place because of it. And every day when you show up for work, you'll embody the way of Jesus so that your boss, your coworkers, and your clients will all get a glimpse of what Jesus' way is all about and hopefully an invitation to join in. Your career, your job, or whatever it is you do all day long isn't something outside of Jesus' calling on your life. It's right at the center of it. Why? I just want answers. Like what's gonna happen one, four, five years from now, but This is my friend, Naomi. What's gonna happen? This girl just got rejected from the art school she was really counting on. She had been working for four years to get into it. No, it's not possible. It's not, because you can't tell the future, right? She is nonstop in the future. It just makes me crazy. I mean you could, if you got some like, prophecy gift you know, but for most of us, we can't see the future. I just want God to tell me if this is supposed to be what I'm supposed to do. If this is my purpose, please like, show me. This is how I see it. Every Christian has a role in the kingdom of God. Whether you're a pastor or a dentist, you have a part to play. Some refer to this as a calling. Though that's not how the New Testament authors use the term. The concept of calling gives an impression that God needs to tell you what to do before you do it. As a result, many people are like sitting on the sidelines, waiting to hear God's voice. This is a huge mistake. Here's the thing, and this may come a shock. God doesn't usually tell us what we're supposed to be doing. Of course, sometimes there are exceptions. Okay. So if God doesn't personally tell me what to do, how will I know what to do with my life? Peter writes, "As each has received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace". When we use our gifts in this way, God is glorified. So we accomplish our purpose by glorifying God through using the gifts He's given to us. (rings bell) (background chatter) The baby-maker with fries and an ice water for the lady. So what are you guys doing after summer? (sarcastically) Thanks. You know, I'm gonna bloom where I'm planted. What? What? Okay. No, I'm serious, okay? I'm gonna bloom where I'm planted. I don't need to go anywhere else to be my best self. Okay? You all haven't seen the best of Emma. Yeah, but what if you're planted in the wrong spot? What if you're a southern flower planted in the city? Well, not everyone gets to make a career out of their passion. But I'm not here on accident. I'm here on purpose and God doesn't make mistakes. So, you know, wherever I am, wherever I'm at, God will use it and I can take my circumstances and do something. Dang girl, respect. But seriously, how are you gonna eat that?