“This is not what I thought I would be doing…” I said to myself as I stared up at the bedroom ceiling. 

It had been over a year since college graduation. The big dreams I had as I walked across that stage felt like a distant memory and my discontentment was sucking the joy out of life. But in the middle of my pity party, God met me. 

 I felt the Holy Spirit’s conviction whispering to my heart: “Your purpose is to glorify God.” 

My purpose is not my career. It is not determined by how many ministry hours I rack up, how many things I check off of my to-do list, or how many people I influence. 

It’s simple: Glorify God. Help others do the same. 

Everything we do, we are commanded to do for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). As followers of Jesus, we are to live each day as a living sacrifice of worship to our God (Romans 12:1). Every moment is meaningful. Whether you’re stocking shelves at your local grocery store, handing coffee to groggy customers through the drive-through window, or working your dream job, what you do matters if you do it to glorify Him. 

In Scripture, we are also commanded to help others bring glory to our God by making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Our lives should have the single-minded goal of bringing others to the saving knowledge of Christ by sharing the good news of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. Sharing the gospel and teaching other believers how to become more like Jesus each day is the greatest task you could ever dedicate your life to. Completing it is not dependent upon your age, vocation, gender, ethnicity, financial status, or any other barriers you might be tempted to think disqualify you. 

If you are a Christian, this is your calling. 

If you are glorifying God and making disciples, you are fulfilling your purpose in life. 

As the gentle sound of my early morning alarm rang out from the other room, I crawled out of bed with renewed motivation. I would not start this day with grumbling or frustration over what my life was not. Instead, I chose to live joyfully, knowing that life is not about me. 

How will you choose to live today?