What is our purpose?

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Romans 11:36

Do you ever wonder why you’re here?

Does my life have meaning?

Does what I do matter?

The Bible tells us that these questions are not without answers! Our desire for meaning and significance stems from the fact that we were created intentionally and with purpose.

Created for God’s Glory

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” - Revelation 4:11

Because God is our Creator, He alone can define our purpose and why we exist. According to Scripture:

All things were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16), meaning the purpose of all of creation is to do His will and bring Him pleasure.
Even beyond that, God made each human being in His own image (Genesis 1:27), granting each of us God-given dignity and worth.
And best of all, God has specifically called His redeemed to bring Him glory in a special way (Isaiah 43:7, 1 Peter 2:9). While all of creation exists for God’s glory, Christians have the distinct privilege of magnifying God, making Him known, pointing to His character and works, and praising Him. All of these things bring Him glory!

Despite Scripture’s answers, Christian women may struggle with aimlessness, discontentment, laziness, weariness, and going through the motions. When we struggle in these ways, it may be a sign that we’ve forgotten that God has created us with a meaningful purpose—to glorify Him! Or, we may still have questions about how to live out our God-given purpose.

Glorifying God does not have to be an abstract idea– it is intensely practical and lived out in everyday life. Read on to learn how to understand and be excited to live out your God-given purpose: “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

How do I glorify God?

Put simply, glorifying God means recognizing, reflecting, and proclaiming His perfect character.

Please note that this doesn’t mean that we add anything to God—He is already glorious because all of Who He is and what He does is perfect, supreme, beautiful, and worthy of worship. Rather, we can magnify Him, His perfections, and His works through our lives.

Glorifying God also includes devoting our lives to worship Him! Worship is ascribing to God the honor due to His name (Psalm 29:2) and presenting ourselves to God with eagerness to love and serve Him (Romans 12:1-2).

Specific ways we can give God glory include:

Recognizing God’s glory:

“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.” - Psalm 27:4

Recognizing God’s glory isn’t just knowing God is glorious, but loving, honoring, and seeking His glory as the ultimate priority in our lives.

Seeking God’s glory as the ultimate priority means seeking it:

Above all else (Isaiah 42:8): Guarding against other desires becoming idols that hinder you from glorifying God.
Above your own glory (Psalm 115:1): Humbly and accurately seeing that God is worthy of praise and honor, not us.

When we recognize God’s glory rightly, it requires a response: will we give Him the place of honor He deserves in every part of our lives?

Proclaiming God’s glory:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” - 1 Peter 2:9

Glorifying God isn’t just a private affair–it involves sharing and proclaiming who He is through our words and lives. As He has called us His own, He has also called us to make Him known.

We can proclaim God’s glory by:

Telling others about His glorious character and works (Psalm 96:3)
Sharing the gospel with others that they may come to salvation (Romans 1:16)
Sharing about God’s work in our lives that others can praise Him as well (Psalm 34:3)

Though this list isn’t exhaustive, we hope it helps you to consider what it looks like to glorify God! When we understand our purpose, it practically impacts what we think and do each day.

Reflecting God’s glory:

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:18

By God’s grace, He not only saves us but also transforms us to reflect His character. As we behold God’s glory in Christ, the Holy Spirit works in us to make us more like Christ.

We reflect God’s glory when His work in us becomes visible through our lives:

In our salvation (Ephesians 1:12)
In our repentance (Psalm 51:17)
In our sanctification and holiness (1 Corinthians 6:20)
In bearing fruit consistent with His character (John 15:8, Philippians 1:11)
In righteous and godly living (Matthew 5:16)
In serving the church through His gifts (1 Peter 4:11)
In loving others with His love (1 John 4:12)
In thanksgiving and praise (Hebrews 13:15)

In whatever ways we reflect God’s glory, we have the privilege of magnifying who He is and what He has done for us in our hearts and to a watching world. Our growth in His image points others to who God is and what He has done.

How can we live out our purpose?

Submit yourself to God: Make it your life’s ambition to glorify God

“I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” - Psalm 16:8

To live a life of purpose, choose to make it your aim and ambition to glorify God! This begins with intentionally submitting to God first in every area of your life.

Study and meditate on God’s Word. Let it dictate your life’s purpose and your everyday decision instead of insisting on your own ways.
Cultivate a life of unceasing prayer, expressing a heart of constant worship, dependence, and thankfulness to God (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Put sin to death (Colossians 3:5) by choosing to obey God’s Word instead of sin (Psalm 119:11).
Let the Holy Spirit have control and influence over your life (Gal 5:16).
Using our emotions to point others to God and making decisions based on Scripture instead of emotions
Serving in the local church: God has given each believer a spiritual gift(s) to use to serve the church! You are a vital part of the church body and your service helps the church grow (Ephesians 4:16).
Showing love to the church body through the “one anothers”: For example, Ephesians 4:32 calls us to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us! When we show forgiveness to others in the church, we glorify God through obeying His commands and point to the mercy He has shown us.

Persevere in your purpose

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” - Galatians 6:9

Living out our purpose isn’t just a one-time decision—it requires faithfulness that endures despite hindrances.

When you face challenging circumstances:
Even in the most difficult circumstances, we can trust that God sovereignly works them for our good and His glory (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28)

Rather than just waiting for our circumstances to change or succumbing to worldly pressures or discouragement, we can trust God’s sovereignty and seek to glorify Him where He has placed us. This may look like:

Learning to find contentment in God in every circumstance (Philippians 4:11-13)
Rejoicing and growing in faith through trials (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Imitating Christ’s sacrificial love toward others, even when it is costly (Ephesians 5:2)
Putting off sin and looking to the hope of future glory (Philippians 3:20-21)
Growing in fellowship with the church through your struggles instead of withdrawing and humbly receiving prayer, counsel, and encouragement from others (Galatians 6:2)

When results are slow to come:

When the future is uncertain:

It can be tempting to get discouraged or lose heart if our efforts seem to be going nowhere, but our purpose doesn’t depend on immediate results, but faithful obedience! Even if we don’t live to see the earthly fruit from our labor, we can trust that in Him it is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58, Hebrews 11:13).

Worry about the future can tempt us to hesitate in our purpose. Instead of clinging to our plans for ourselves and being consumed by temporal cares, we can trust God’s purposes and invest our lives in what will last eternally—people’s souls and the church!

To battle complacency, remember that we only have limited time to be able to glorify God on this side of eternity. While we have the chance, let’s gladly spend ourselves for His glory!

Rejoice in your purpose

“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.” - Psalm 100:2

Glorifying God fills our hearts with joy and fulfillment! Living out our God-given purpose should not be characterized by duty without heart, but with inexpressible and glorious joy!

If you lack joy, feel purposeless, or find yourself doing things out of obligation:

Remember that the source of greatest joy is God Himself and God has promised that in Him is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11)! Our purpose is not just made up of doing things or fulfilling responsibilities, but serving and loving God. We get to know God, have a relationship with Him, and point others to how great He is!
Keep your eyes fixed on Christ, in Whom our sins are forgiven once and for all (Hebrews 10:10). We are no longer slaves to our sins, but can choose to glorify God because of the freedom He gives us to choose righteousness. In Him, we have sustaining grace and the greatest example for joyful endurance.
Consider that any hardships you experience on earth are but light and momentary and compared to the glory God is preparing us for (2 Corinthians 4:17). As we face trials, God grows us in our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7)! In His sovereign control, everything has a purpose.

Fulfilling your purpose: What can I do now?

God has created you for a purpose—to glorify Him! Your life has significance, purpose, meaning, and dignity because of His calling in Christ.

Pray about how you want to grow in your relationship with God and in living out your purpose. What are specific and immediate ways you can submit your will to His, persevere through struggles, or renew your joy in serving Him?

Living your whole life to glorify God starts with daily decisions. How will you commit to growing in glorifying God? Choose one specific goal to commit to and share with someone to keep you accountable. It may take a sacrifice of time, comfort, or convenience, but praise God His glory is worth it!

Don’t know where to begin? Here are some examples of goals to help give you some ideas:

Commit to reading and applying Scripture daily, letting God’s Word inform you about how you can glorify God.

Commit to growing in consistent prayer to choose to obey God’s commands with joy.

Commit to talking to your church’s leaders about how you can help serve. If you already are serving, ask your ministry leader how you can excel still more in your service and prayerfully and humbly seek to put their counsel into practice.

If you are struggling in perseverance, commit to sharing with a trusted sister in the church and asking them to pray for you and keep you accountable.

Commit to cultivating thankfulness by regularly meditating on God’s character and His work in your life, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.