Backfiring Purposes

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

We recently looked at our pursuit of purpose, purpose that sadly backfires.

I want us to look at the reason it backfires so that we can avoid the things that make that possible in our pursuit.

The first reason is that we put the last things first; or like people normally say, we put the cart before the horse. This makes it not just mindless but also vain.

There are the priorities God has put in place for us, priorities that bring order to everything He has created; priorities whose absence means frustration however successful one may become.

What are our goals? What really do we understand by purpose? What is the ultimate in that purpose? What is the end of your purpose?

Let me give us an awakening thought. A purpose gets its greatest fulfillment through its outpouring and overflow and not it’s gratifying or fattening effect on its pursuer. Let me explain.

Have you noticed that many successful business magnates will start being philanthropic especially during or after midlife? Why do you think it is so?

Acquisitions and the gratification that follows have a very short shelf life. This means that after a short time the euphoria one feels after achieving and acquiring wears off, sometimes so drastically that one may sink into depression, or worse. What happens when you realize that the things you had poured your all to acquire are incapable of giving fulfillment?

How many acclaimed successes have openly wished that they had known how empty the top feels before they got there?

Yet the top is not the problem. The problem arises when the top becomes the ultimate in purpose, the greatest aim. Then it becomes not only shifty but also unattainable and unworthy of all the effort one had invested therein. The closest it can be compared with is a mirage to a traveler in the heat of the day. It looks so close and inviting when the heat is unbearable to the point that one will increase speed to get there faster. Only to realize after some breathless walking or even running that all the effort was in vain. But it is even worse because you have wasted precious energy trying to get to it. Then you see another one!

That is what achieving and acquiring are like once you get there. What was so lofty feels so empty and unfulfilling. Worse still is that it has a tendency to move farther like that mirage so that it is always on the move.

Many only wanted a degree. Then they realize that the next one is more essential. And then another. Then something else until they forget what they had started with.

Or someone wants a piece of land. Then they realize that one plot is just not enough. They get another, then another then another until they become obsessed with owning any piece of land they set eye on.

Maybe it was financial independence someone started with. They were convinced that a million would be sufficient financial security. But when they get to it they discover that they need another million, and another million. Soon a billion is not enough. In fact they realize that money is no security at all and they must join politics or something else to safeguard that shifty security called finances.

That is what Solomon discovered and discussed in Ecclesiastes.

Man was not created to attain and acquire things. Those were secondary purposes to his creation.

Man was created in God’s image and after His likeness. What this means is that we were created to further God’s agenda or purpose in this world He created. We are therefore meant to have His mindset as we live this life. We are also meant to become closer to the person of God in fellowship for our purpose to mean anything to us because God did not create us with things as the end of His purpose. And that is the reason fulfillment outside a relationship with God is always fleeting.

God is the centre of our purpose or we have no business talking about purpose. His word defines our purpose in totality or we are as lost as a ship on the high seas without sail and rudder.

We must have a purpose outside ourselves for it to be a purpose worthy of any pursuit. A self centred purpose is a purpose worthy of our frustration. A purpose centred on God is its own fulfillment as God is everything and owns everything. But even better is that He knows what we need and will give it to us exactly and precisely when we need it because then it will give Him glory.

I will close by adding a statement ascribed to Steve Jobs towards the end of his life hoping it will make us realize that life is more than those things we pursue endlessly. And of course that life lived outside God’s revelation is futile as futility itself because we were created for something much bigger than what we can see or aspire for.

The last words of Steve Jobs -
I have come to the pinnacle of success in business.
In the eyes of others, my life has been the symbol of success.
However, apart from work, I have little joy. Finally, my wealth is simply a fact to which I am accustomed.
At this time, lying on the hospital bed and remembering all my life, I realize that all the accolades and riches of which I was once so proud, have become insignificant with my imminent death.
In the dark, when I look at green lights, of the equipment for artificial respiration and feel the buzz of their mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of my approaching death looming over me.
Only now do I understand that once you accumulate enough money for the rest of your life, you have to pursue objectives that are not related to wealth.
It should be something more important:
For example, stories of love, art, dreams of my childhood.
No, stop pursuing wealth, it can only make a person into a twisted being, just like me.
God has made us one way, we can feel the love in the heart of each of us, and not illusions built by fame or money, like I made in my life, I cannot take them with me.
I can only take with me the memories that were strengthened by love.
This is the true wealth that will follow you; will accompany you, he will give strength and light to go ahead.
Love can travel thousands of miles and so life has no limits. Move to where you want to go. Strive to reach the goals you want to achieve. Everything is in your heart and in your hands.
What is the world's most expensive bed? The hospital bed.
You, if you have money, you can hire someone to drive your car, but you cannot hire someone to take your illness that is killing you.
Material things lost can be found. But one thing you can never find when you lose: life.
Whatever stage of life where we are right now, at the end we will have to face the day when the curtain falls.
Please treasure your family love, love for your spouse, love for your friends...
Treat everyone well and stay friendly with your neighbours.

I think you can find great parallels with the book of Ecclesiastes when you read this. And whoever wrote it was echoing the cries of many who have won acclaim in the world, yet found emptiness at the end of it all.

A search for God will give you everything, but in its perfect proportion and dosage. He will give you wealth when and how He chooses to fulfill His purpose and bring fulfillment to your whole life. He is the one who gives the power to make wealth. Meaning that getting Him connects us to that power

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)

I believe that I will soon be writing at purpose centred on God as it is the only purpose we should be talking about and pursuing.