Always Growing: You Have a Purpose

If you search the world over, you will easily find people who want to leave a mark. People everywhere want to know they have a place to belong. That their time here on earth mattered. We each want to know we have a purpose. This desire is part of the shared experience of humanity, no matter where you grew up, what cultural background you own, or what size the homes were or are in your neighborhood.

Living in the 21st century, however, means many of us live in productivity-oriented cultures, which doesn’t necessarily translate to purpose-driven cultures. Living in a productivity culture means that we look to relationship after we fight through the layers of work, service, and contribution necessary to make our lives “worthwhile.” The problem is, we feel most purposeful not in productivity, work, service, or contribution, but in relationship.

It’s so easy to tie our value to what we tangibly offer this world.

It’s so easy to keep believing we find our identity and belonging in what we do, rather than who we are, or who God says we are.

It’s so easy to feel crippled under the weight of our need for others to notice us, because we are trained to see contribution, rather than the beautiful and precious souls of people.

It’s so easy to confuse purpose with productivity.

Developmental psychologist Erik Erickson identifies this push and pull of productivity and purpose as a developmental stage called industry vs. inferiority. Industry is a good name for what we are looking for when we talk about purpose, but not a complete name. We want to know that we are useful, that we have something to contribute in this world, that we have a unique skill set in which we are competent, even as we are learning more each day. Industry and purpose are broader than the idea that we are useful.

Productivity on the other hand is limited to the idea that we are useful. In a culture bearing down on us to be productive, it’s easy to get confused and frustrated though. This is true for both the 6 to 11-year-olds, this developmental stage is attributed to, and their adult counterparts. We all want to live our lives with contribution, but also with purpose.

There are two things I notice that really help us get past productivity culture and into the healthy growth areas of industry and purpose:

First,

When we are grounded in our relationship with God, we lessen the weight of our need for someone else to notice us.

God bestows value onto us. I don’t need to find it in what I do, even if I highly value what I do. I don’t need so much from you, because your value isn’t dependent on what you give me or contribute to me. We each have value based on the fact that God put us on this earth and that Jesus died for us.

I know I have value based on John 3:16, Ephesians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 8, and Romans 12. 

Productivity will grind me down until I’m tired, I’m spent, and I feel inadequate. Productivity makes me feel inferior and I will struggle with a sense of failing at all the things, even those which weren’t mine to do in the first place. Industry instead builds from a solid foundation of relationship. Because God says I’m valuable, because there are people in my life who remind me I have worth based on my humanity, I can begin to find my unique contribution and not feel so tied to its ankle weights that grind me down. 

Second,

We can begin to appreciate one another as unique, gifted contributors, no matter our life stage, life challenges, or life accomplishments. 

Development doesn’t happen in an internal vacuum.

Our sense of belonging greatly impacts our sense of worth.

And without taking care of step one and seeing my worth through God’s eyes, I have a hard time seeing yours through His eyes also. But when I hit refresh and see Him first and then turn to see you, I’m not so wrapped up in being the standout, the only, the accomplished one.

This changes who we listen to and allow to contribute as well:

We listen to children and youth, ask their opinions, and asking them to contribute meaningfully rather than menially

We listen to individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities and ask them to contribute meaningfully because they are valuable and uniquely gifted.

We correct one another for growth, leaning heavily on love and understanding, and watch the voices of failure grow weaker and our mental and emotional health and confidence grow stronger.

We’re done looking for participation awards and false affirmations because we all have a contribution and a purpose here. 

This is industry in Jesus Christ. 

Tell me in the comments: Who has helped you build your awareness of your own abilities? What areas of your life help you feel a sense of God-given purpose? What challenges have you overcome that have helped you believe in your competence? What setbacks have helped you remember your value is secure in God’s grace-filled view of you?

We are always growing…in purpose.

Want to hear more about industry and purpose?

Join me and special guest Dr. Kim Marxhausen for Mental Health Monday Live on the Heidi Goehmann Writes Facebook Page on Monday, November 16 at noon CST. This month we’ll be talking about industry, purpose, and motivation as we dive into behavior and motivation theories and how they impact our sense of purpose and worth. Not available for the live discussion at noon? Subscribe to the Heidi Goehmann Writes YouTube channel to watch the videos anytime.  

Tune in to the Coffee Hour Podcast from kfuo.org to hear more from Biblical and psychological research on what builds industry and purpose and what hinders industry and purpose from infancy to adulthood.

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