Here is a blog post written in the voice of Craig McCourt of GodPonders.
It’s one of those questions that seems to surface in the quiet moments, isn’t it? Maybe late at night, or on a long drive with just the hum of the road for company. What on earth am I here for?. It’s a profound, deeply human question. As a pastor and storyteller, I’ve found that the best place to start pondering such big questions is within the pages of God’s own story—the Bible. Our mission here at GodPonders is to connect those grand stories of Scripture with the stories of our everyday lives, and in doing so, proclaim what God has done.
One story that always resonates with me is the one God tells his people through the prophet Jeremiah. Imagine being in exile, feeling captured and banished, your life completely upended. It’s easy to feel that way in our own lives, isn’t it? Adrift, uncertain, maybe even harmed. But right into that sense of captivity, God speaks a promise that echoes through the centuries:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.
What a powerful declaration! This isn’t just a hopeful thought; it’s a divine promise. Given by God, who knew that the years right before these people were not filled with unicorns and rainbows, there would be exile and slavery, heartache and great pain. But in the light of eternity, in the view from God’s throne, he has and does give us a future. Our purpose isn’t a random, self-generated quest. It begins with the understanding that God has a plan, a good plan, designed for our well-being and future. This is where our calling starts—not in what we can achieve, but in what God has already designed.
So, how do we live out this purpose? The concept of vocation offers a beautiful framework for this. It’s not just about a career in ministry, like being a pastor or a missionary. The Christian calling is woven into the very fabric of our daily existence.
Your Family Vocation: God has called each of us into a family. Being a parent, a child, a sibling—these roles are a high and holy calling. Martin Luther even said God gave fatherhood and motherhood a “special position of honor”. Through these relationships, God is at work.
Your Work Vocation: That 9-to-5 grind? It’s charged with the presence of God. Whether you’re a teacher, a doctor, a waitress, or an artist, God is working through your labor. You are not just doing a job; you are one of the “masks of God,” a means through which He serves and cares for others in the world.
Your Civic Vocation: As Christians, we are called to be good citizens—to obey laws, honor officials, and contribute to our communities. This, too, is part of our purpose.
Seeing our lives this way—as a series of callings—transforms the ordinary. Suddenly, changing a diaper, filing a report, or casting a vote becomes an act of worship, a way of living out the purpose God has designed for us. It’s how we glorify God and enjoy fellowship with Him right where He has placed us.
Ultimately, the Bible is clear that our overarching purpose is to fear God, keep His commandments, and know Him intimately. The Apostle Paul considered everything he had achieved as nothing compared to the “excellence of knowing Christ Jesus”. That relationship is the true center of our lives.
When we seek God with all our heart, He promises we will find Him. And in finding Him, we rediscover our purpose. We begin to see how all the pieces of our lives—our community, our contributions, our very communication—fit together into His big picture.
So today, I encourage you to ponder this: Where is God calling you? Look at your family, your work, your neighborhood. In those ordinary places, you will find your extraordinary purpose, a story being written by the Author of life itself. And that is a story worth telling.
<><Pastor Craig
p.s. One helpful way to find your place in the great story of Scripture is to read the Bible in chronological order. We have some for sale at church, and I can recommend a good one for you if you're outside the greater Arlington, MN Area.