When you know where you’ve come from, and where you’re going, and what you’re capable of, then you can know what your purpose is.
Origin + Destination + Potential = Purpose
Take Jesus, for example: He knew he came from God. He knew he was returning to God. And he knew that all things were under his power. So what did he do with that divine origin, divine destination, and unlimited potential? He washed his disciples’ feet. Surprising, to say the least! If we’re being honest, it actually seems kind of foolish, backwards, and ridiculous.
When you’re clear on what your purpose is, it becomes a lot more intuitive to know what the next right thing is that you ought to do. That is, you gain more wisdom: the art of living well. Daily life is full of countless decisions, big or small. A meaningful and full life is one in which all of those decisions, (or at least as many as possible), coalesce into a single purpose.
Now, that can seem like a daunting task. I get decision fatigue just thinking about it. But that’s precisely the point of wisdom: with wisdom there is little fretting over decisions, and more of a seemingly intuitive knowing of what to do next. Even when that next thing appears foolish or backwards or ridiculous to others.
