Living With Purpose

According to the Deloitte Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 47% of Millennial and Gen Z workers choose to work for their current organization because they derive meaning from their work. However, over a third of these respondents said they have turned down a job offer because the company didn’t align with their personal ethics. “The values and purpose of their employer really matter,” According to Michelle Parmelee. Younger workers want businesses to help drive change and be invited to engage in how changes are enacted.

With so many remote work opportunities and open jobs at an all-time high, it seems possible for most people to align their passions, interests, and employment. But how do you ensure you choose the best career path to live with purpose?

Define Living with Purpose

I believe when someone says they want to live purposefully, they want the things they do to have a deeper meaning. For example, people want to know that the time they spend away from their family does more than provide financially.

Studies show that when we cannot incorporate our passions into our work, we may feel less motivated to invest in the people around us and are less likely to look for ways to advance in our roles. Top marketing expert Bernadette Jiwa explains, “People make judgments based on their worldview.” This principle applies to the things we purchase and to our life choices.

I believe we miss opportunities to integrate purposeful living into our daily choices when we aren’t intentional about pausing to consider how each yes will align with the sweet spot of our calling.

Turning Mundane Moments into Purposeful Opportunities

One of the most frequently suggested parenting tips for raising teens is to get them talking when you’re in the car. It’s easier to ask questions when your teens don’t have to look you in the eye and when they’re stuck in the car. The theory is that teens will answer you because they will eventually talk because they don’t have anywhere else to go.

This strategy worked for Jesus with the disciples. He used the time walking to teach them everything they would need to do once they were on their own. We read in Luke 6:1-19 that Jesus and the disciples walked through a field, John 4, the meeting with the woman at the well, John 5, the healing of the blind man, and so many other examples of Jesus walking with the disciples to what might seem like chance encounters, but turned out to be the destination of a purposeful opportunity.

The mundane moments are times when we can pause and listen for that nudge from the Holy Spirit. Maybe there’s a co-worker who really needs a listening ear or a word of encouragement. Is there something you’re really passionate about that needs someone to speak up and cast a vision for how it integrates well within your company’s mission? Is it possible that God is asking you to represent him to your co-workers? Is your conviction to live out 2 Corinthians 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God.’” by loving our neighbors the same way Jesus explained in the parable of The Good Samaritan.

We have the choice to live a purposeful life every day, wherever we are, by choosing to partner with God in our calling and seeking intentional ways to reflect his love to those around us. Whether we do so by matching every aspect of our work hours to our passions or we serve our co-workers and employer to the best of our ability, in a job that we don’t love, we’re choosing to glorify God by using the gifts and talents he has created us with to impact our world. And that’s purposeful living every day.