Do you have days when you want to have more meaning and purpose in life? Often, when we are having a difficult time or struggle with hopelessness and depression, we long to infuse our days with more meaning and purpose.
After experiencing a life-altering loss, my world went darker. The sadness and depression made me wonder about the meaning and purpose of my days. I would wake up and ask the Lord to give meaning and purpose to a day that seems empty and meaningless without the love and support of the loved one I lost.
How to Have More Meaning and Purpose
I want to share with you three ways how to have more meaning and purpose in life, even when we struggle with feelings of sadness, sorrow, and hopelessness.
These three ways are based on investing in relationships and meaningful activities because they fuel our sense of purpose and identity.
Investing in relationships and meaningful activities fuels our sense of purpose and identity. #purpose #relationships #meaning Share on XRemember to pin me for later
Investing in Our Relationship with God
Investing in our relationship with God is the first thing that can boost our sense of meaning and purpose. Since we are created in God’s image and with the purpose of having a loving relationship with God, having fellowship with God strengthens our identity and gives meaning to our days.
We can start our days with a simple prayer asking God to carry us through the day and to give us direction, meaning, and purpose. We can engage in prayer throughout the day, whenever we feel sad, anxious, or empty.
Reading and meditating on God’s Word is a great way to boost our sense of purpose. God’s Word is full of encouraging truths regarding our value and identity and how to live an intentional and purposeful life. God wants us to live to the fullest every day.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
Investing in Our Relationship with Ourselves
Life and everything that happens to us teach us a lot about ourselves and our purpose. Every change, transition, or loss that we experience helps us discover more about ourselves and why we are here. Life events (good or bad) have the potential to enrich our lives and help us live more from our hearts. It is up to us to be willing to accept the lessons buried in each experience. Every learned lesson adds wisdom, maturity, and more purpose to our lives.
Another useful way to add more purpose and meaning to our lives is to tap into our calling to create. Everyone has creative potential. When we engage in it and use our creativity in the daily tasks and our work, this increases our sense of purpose. Try doing something creative every day and you will see how this adds joy and meaning to your day.
Life events (good or bad) have the potential to enrich our lives and help us live more from our hearts. #purpose #meaning #encouragement Share on XInvesting in our Relationship with Others
Since we are relational beings, investing in our relationships with others boosts our sense of meaning and purpose. Giving and receiving love is invaluable when we want to have a meaningful life.
When we try every day to help, encourage, or serve at least one person, this contributes extensively to our well-being and sense of purpose. The world needs every one of us with our unique personalities, experiences, strengths, and weaknesses. God has placed us in our unique places in the communities to love and serve each other.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)
The Purpose of Life
We can summarize the purpose of human life on this earth in implementing the greatest commandment: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-38).
When we invest ourselves every day in loving God by obeying His word and loving our neighbors, our days will have more meaning and purpose, so we can live a deeply enriched life. Loving God and creating with God are the two major ways leading to a fulfilled life.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
More Resources to Help You Find Meaning and Purpose
If you need additional resources to help you find more meaning and purpose, I can highly recommend these books.
Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings by Hadassah Treu
Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation in Focus by Sarah Geringer
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Forward: Discovering God’s Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow by David Jeremiah
People Fuel: Fill Your Tank for Life, Love, and Leadership by John Townsend
Dream Big by Bob Goff
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
This page contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission I make from these items will help keep this blog going. Thank you!
Your Turn
In which of these three areas do you need to invest more so you can increase your sense of meaning and purpose? Share in the comments. If you have found this post helpful, please share it on social media. Thanks!
When we invest ourselves every day in loving God by obeying His word and loving our neighbors, our days will have more meaning and purpose, so we can live a deeply enriched life. #meaning #purpose #encouragement Share on XDo you want to watch this post as a vlog? Click HERE. If you found it helpful, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thanks!
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These are awesome suggestions for how to have more meaning in life. I really like investing in relationships and having a relationship with God.
Thanks so much, Betty! I am glad you found the post helpful. Blessings to you!
Great article on how to have more meaning and purpose. I like to invest some time in myself and do creative things. I usually focus so much time on other that I forget about taking care of me.
Thanks a lot, Gina! Yes, it is easy to forget to take good self- and soul-care. I am happy that you found the post helpful.
Thanks for sharing about how to find more meaning and purpose. I agree that investing in relationships with others makes a huge difference. It encourages others while helping me take the focus off of myself. I need to keep that in mind today and everyday.
Thanks, Lisa! Yes, you are right – investing in our relationships with others helps us take the focus off ourselves and adds joy and meaning to our lives.
This was such a good blog post and God bless you for your wisdom. Investing in God, ourselves and others. After all love God and loving others as ourselves are the most important commandments. Thank you for sharing this post xxx
Thanks so much! I am glad that you found the post encouraging and helpful.
Thank you, Hadassah; this post is so filled with wisdom and encouragement. Thanks for sharing from your experience to bless others.
Thanks so much, Carlie! I am happy that the post blessed you!
Beautiful post! Thanks for the encouragement and wonderful ideas of how to feel more engaged in life.
Thanks, Amy! I am glad that this post encouraged you.
With the busyness of life, I definitely don’t invest enough time in myself. I love being creative, so this was a great encouragement to make sure I’m putting time towards that!
Thanks, Kara! I am happy you found this post encouraging. Yes, being creative is a great way to add more joy, meaning, and purpose to our days.
These are great ways to have more purpose. Thanks for writing.
Thanks, Carolyn! I am glad you found this post helpful.