On Purpose
I was listening to a book this week and, in passing, the author asked a question that has stuck with me all week. I'd love to invite you to consider it as well.
What is the difference between living our life FOR A PURPOSE vs living a life that is ON PURPOSE?
It feels easy to get swept up in the goals, issues, trials, and even the excitement of our purposes each day. We have goals and a vision. We have a plan. We are passionate about our purpose. However, I think sometimes living FOR a purpose distracts me from living ON purpose.
Living on purpose is so much more intentional. It’s right here and right now living. It's prioritizing the right things every day like connecting deeply with God, caring for my own soul, connecting with people, and living life in a way that is wholistic and life giving so that I can be fruitful for the long term instead of only fruitful for a season.
It seems to me that living on purpose sets me up for a life lived well. It also seems that living more purposeful instead of being purpose driven helps me to stay better connected with God, myself, and others.
I think living on purpose might look different for each of us. In truth, that is something I have been struggling with in the fulness of this current season of life. I feel like I’ve been living more reactively than I’d like. Living on purpose feels much more proactive.
One way I'm trying to live on purpose is to use my Sunday afternoons as a calendar time. On Sunday, I sit down to block schedule my week. While I may not be able to foresee all that my week will hold, intentionally setting some boundaries around my time has been one way that I can live life more on purpose.
Here are a few things I'm considering when building my weekly schedule. Maybe these will be helpful. Most of them have been shared with me and they've been really helpful to me.
1. A daily unhurried time with God
2. A daily time for exercise
3. A max of three evenings away from home each week
4. 1 intentional block of family time each week
5. 1 intentional date with my husband each week
6. Sabbath
7. Limiting my blocks of availability for meetings to one morning block, one afternoon block, and one evening block each week.
8. 3 study/reading/writing blocks each week
9. 1 block for administrative work each week
10. One flex block each week for things I don't get done
11. One time to have fun and play
12. A bed time and wake up time that allows my body the physical rest it needs
13. One block for community and relationship
Obviously, some of your blocks might look different than mine, but maybe it might be helpful to consider what those things are that you want to be purposeful about scheduling in to YOUR week. What do you want to prioritize? What do you want to limit? What do you need to add to be more whole and healthy?
Ephesians 5:15 NIV says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.”
And Psalm 90:12 NIV encourages us to ask God to “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
I want to live life on purpose. I want to pay attention to how I am living because these moments here and now matter. I do want to be a person who is passionate about my purpose on this earth, but I also want to remember that I live out my purpose best when I live on purpose, intentionally setting my heart and my mind on the right priorities.
I’m sure you want those same things. How can we be people who live on purpose?
Prayer
God, thank you that you care about the little details of my day. Thank you that you invite me to be mindful of where and how I am spending my energy. God, help me to live life on purpose. Help me to be thoughtful about the way I spend these moments that you have given me. Amen.
Scripture Meditation
Ephesians 5:15 NIV
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.”
Journal Reflection
What do you want to prioritize in your life? What do you want to limit? Where do you want to spend your time and energy? What do you need to add to be more whole and healthy?
Practice
Go ahead and pull out a blank sheet of paper. Make your own list of things that you want to consider when building your weekly schedule. Go ahead and spend a few minutes praying over your week and then pencil in your planner.
Worship Playlist