The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren

I recall those critical two years of my pre-Christ life just before God’s grace and truth were revealed to me. I was in my late twenties, having finished a too-long career of post-secondary studies and having settled into a comfortable life, calm and stable. I had a good education, job, car, family, and friends. So why did I feel so unsettled? I did not try to find meaning through drugs or booze or rock n’ roll. Instead, I was a “purpose junkie”. Something made me seek out more experience. I thought if I could experience enough things in life, something, would inevitably go bing, and my purpose would be clear. After 28 years of striving, God mercifully intervened.

I had a wonderful time getting to know my new Friend, but like all relationships that undergo different seasons, God began speaking new things. I felt the quickness of life, how ephemeral it is. My “courting time” with God had ended, and He was bringing me back to the initial longing that drew me to Him - a desire to know my purpose in life, but this time, as a Christian. I knew I was saved, but God revealed to me that this was not “it” – there was more than simply being Christian; it meant living a Christian life. But what did this mean and how could I be sure that I did not miss it? So I prayed on this. I asked God what should I be doing daily to be moving towards fulfilling His purpose for my life?

Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, is an inspired, methodical, and easy to read 40-day devotional. It is packed with Biblically-supported insights on why we have been born and called into God’s family, and what we should be doing daily in order not to squander this incredible privilege. This book seeks, and succeeds, to guide new believers into living God’s plan for them. It serves to remind more mature believers to not become complacent in their salvation, and to dig deeper into God’s glorious will for their lives. The book confirms for me the things that I have been doing right (praise God), and identified for me the steps I will need to prayerfully take so I “may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV).

The book begins by asking, “What on Earth am I here for”? The simplicity of this question is penetrating and accurate. One of my primary joys as a young Christian has been getting to know God and enjoying His presence. I recall feeling guilty about this pleasure, thinking how silly and selfish I was to enjoy Him. I thought being Christian meant work. Perhaps to a certain extent it does if we are to be faithful to our calling to “go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19). How refreshing and affirming is Mr. Warren’s first insight on our purpose here on earth: “We were planned for God’s pleasure”. He created us because He is love and He desired to create something upon which to lavish His perfect love. Therefore, our first purpose in life is simply to love Him and bring Him pleasure. But bringing pleasure to God is a multi-faceted task as it is in any relationship – it entails many “acts of love” such as worship, service and regular communication. Happily this can all be achieved if we are motivated by our genuine love for Him who created us.

Mr. Warren outlines four other purposes for which we were created – those purposes which can be fulfilled as a “natural consequence” if we realize our first purpose of loving God. One of the most affirming and enlightening chapters for me deals with how I am to serve God. “A ‘non-serving’ Christian,” he says, “is a contradiction in terms”. If being Christian means loving God, how can we profess to love Him if we refuse to do the things that bring Him pleasure? Being a servant might not be appealing at first glance; but upon reflection, what other purpose might be worthier? The logical alternative would be serving ourselves, and if this were our purpose in life, how very small life would be! No wonder my heart longed for something more when my life was devoted to myself and what I wanted to get out of life. Our “selfless” actions become self-serving when we are not wholly submitted to the Great Vision, the redemption of humankind that Jesus Christ offers us.

The Purpose Driven Life has given me a framework to do a mental check periodically, to make sure that I am on the right track and that I don’t “miss it” – the reason and purpose for which He has called me friend. I highly recommend it.