I sat with a man in my office this week who had recently retired. He had worked in a state run facility for 30 years, was in his mid-50’s, and had been looking forward to retirement because – well – that’s what you’re supposed to do isn’t it? However, after about two weeks of being retired, he found himself bored and floundering. So, rather than just sit at home all day long, he went out and found a job doing maintenance work at a hospital. His wife stated that he had purpose again. But does he really?
It would seem that oftentimes people confuse purpose with things to do. But purpose has been defined as: “The reason for which something is created or for which something exists.” So, I ask, “Why were you created?” Please don’t get me wrong – there is absolutely nothing wrong with working in a maintenance position. But this particular individual isn’t doing this job because he believes that this is a part of what he was created for. He is doing it in order to have something to occupy his time.
Socrates is purported to have said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I want to encourage us to examine our lives and see if we are living with a God given purpose or if we are simply doing stuff to fill our time? We have one shot at this life we have been given. Let’s make sure that we are living it to its fullest!