Sir Christopher Wren was a British architect who designed and built great cathedrals. One day he was walking through a construction site and talking to the workers. They did not know who he was. Wren asked a man what he was making. The mason answered, “I am making a shilling a day.” To a second worker, Wren posed the same question. He answered, “I am building a wall.” When Wren asked a third person what he was doing, the man proudly stood up and said to the stranger who was wandering the construction site, “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build the greatest cathedral in the world.”

The third man had vision. His mission was not making money, nor was it the task at hand. He had an expanded view of himself and the world. I suspect he was a happy man, for the happiest, most contented and fulfilled individuals are those who live in a large world. They refuse to be limited to the task at hand or to what they receive for their efforts. They know their labor is united to something greater. They feel God's pleasure and joy as they work.

Jesus, a Child of Purpose
At age 12, Jesus knew his purpose. Joseph and Mary had traveled with Jesus to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The festivities were complete, and the family was returning to Nazareth. Jesus' parents assumed he was in the crowd that was homeward bound. After a time, they realized their son was not with them. Mary and Joseph returned to the Holy City, and after searching for three days, they found Jesus in the temple discussing spiritual matters with the elders. When his parents admonished Jesus for his behavior, he answered, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?” (Lk. 2:49 NKJV)

Jesus lived a life of purpose, and consequently he lived one of the most extraordinary lives that has ever been lived. He became aware of the divine intent and made it his own. His initial effort was to discover the Presence within him. Having found his Father closer to him than his own hands and feet and his own breathing, Jesus next became aware of the divine plan and became a partner in it. …

Spirit Calls Us to Purpose
Your spiritual purpose is to know God and love God and also to know yourself, but this alone will have no effect on your life. You must experience your spiritual purpose. Because your why is not of the earth, you must “sit with the elders.” This does not mean you must find wise ones who will impart their wisdom to you.

“Sitting with the elders” means quiet reflection that allows the voice still and small to speak to you. It means listening to inner voices. Some will be human in nature. You won't like what they say, but there is a loving, gentle “voice” that you are destined to experience. For now, gently lay aside your worldly concerns. When you return to them, they will look different, but they are not the issue now. Experiencing your spiritual purpose is the matter at hand.

All people have the same spiritual purpose: to know God, to love God, and to know themselves. This is our unity of purpose.

This excerpt is from the book The Quest for Meaning: Living a Life of Purpose by Jim Rosemergy.