How can one find their purpose in life?

Compass of Life. Photo: linkedin

This is an utterly important question, and sooner or later every person reflects on the meaning of life and the reason they came into this world.

First of all, it must be said that for an Orthodox Christian there is a universal purpose that stands before every human being alike. That purpose is the salvation of the soul and union with God.

St. Seraphim of Sarov said that the aim of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. So if we speak of mission or calling, this is the one given to all of us without exception. Before searching for some unique, personal vocation, we must remember this common Christian purpose.

At the same time, every person also has an individual calling – the particular path on which he is meant to serve God and his neighbor. And the question of how to discern that path is indeed not a simple one.

First of all, we must understand that the will of God is not revealed to us all at once like a written plan. The Lord leads a person gradually, step by step. The holy fathers say that we often want to see the whole road to the very end, while God grants us light – and not always even that – only for the next step. There is deep wisdom in this, because if a person knew everything beforehand, he would either grow proud or become frightened and run away. There is a well-known story about a woman who begged God to reveal His will to her. He revealed it. “Close it again!” she cried in terror.

So how can one discern one’s calling? The holy fathers point to several signs.

First, we should pay attention to the gifts and abilities God has placed within us from birth. The Lord does not bestow talents randomly. If a person has been inclined toward a certain work since childhood, if he succeeds in it, if it benefits others, then this may be understood as a sign from God. The Apostle Paul writes that each person has his own gifts, and each must serve with the gift he has received.

Second, we should pay attention to the circumstances of life. St. Theophan the Recluse taught that the will of God is often revealed through the situations in which the Lord places us. Our birthplace, family, encounters with people, even trials and sorrows – none of these are accidental. Sometimes we search for our calling somewhere far away, only to discover that it has been beside us all along, in the people and responsibilities already entrusted to us.

Third, we must listen to the voice of conscience. When we are doing what we are truly called to do, there is peace in the heart, even if the task itself is difficult. But when we walk a path that is not ours, when we do what harms ourselves and others, there arises within us a heaviness, confusion, a sense of falseness.

Yet I must stress this three times over – discernment is essential. Not every hardship is a sign that we are in the wrong place. Sometimes difficulties only confirm that we are on the right path, because the enemy of mankind attacks most fiercely those who strive to fulfill the will of God.

Fourth, prayer is of immense importance. If we sincerely ask the Lord to reveal His will to us, He will unfailingly do so. It may not happen immediately, and perhaps not in an obvious way, but through gradual enlightenment we will come to understand. There is a beautiful prayer of the Elders of Optina in which we ask: “Lord, grant that I may meet all that this coming day brings with spiritual tranquility. Grant that I may wholly surrender myself to Thy holy will.”

Fifth, the counsel of a spiritual father or an experienced person in the spiritual life is of great benefit. Left to ourselves, we often fail to see ourselves clearly, while an experienced guide may help us discern where God is acting in our desires and where pride or passions are at work instead.

And one more important thing must be said. Sometimes people imagine that their mission must necessarily be something great, visible, or famous. But the Lord may have entirely different plans. For one person, the mission may simply be to be a good mother and raise children in the faith. For another – to work honestly, without stealing or lying. For a third – to bear illness patiently and through that become an example to others. Before God, all these paths are equally precious if a person does not murmur or chase after something extraordinary.

On the other hand, prominence and importance can themselves become a severe trial – an examination that very few are able to endure with dignity.

That is why one should not torment oneself searching for some exceptional destiny. One should simply live honestly where the Lord has placed him, keep the commandments, and serve one’s neighbor with the gifts one has been given. Then, gradually – through life, through prayer, through circumstances – the Lord Himself will reveal why we are here.

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