Getting Purpose Back In Our Life

It doesn’t take a lot of time to get that joy and purpose back in our lives, only a change of thought. We must begin with our thinking. Instead of endlessly analyzing what’s wrong with our life, we must find what’s right about it. We can do this by gaining a better understanding of God and our relationship to Him. And we can begin right now.

When I left college, I went into a profession that was exciting and satisfying. I was able to spend my life in service to others, fulfilling a longtime dream. But over the years, the work became more and more like drudgery. When I began dreading going to work, the problem became obvious. I called a Christian Science practitioner to help me through prayer

The practitioner listened to me say that if I could get out of this job or find a new career, things would be better. Then she told me that I didn’t need to look for change anywhere but inside my own thinking. She reminded me of Jesus’ saying, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

That statement became a beacon and an anchor to me. I yearned to find this kingdom of God, but realized it would require a better understanding of Him than I presently had. This was evident when I read this statement in Mary Baker Eddy’s book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony.” (390:7-9) I wanted some of that harmony, whatever it would take.

So, over the next month or two, I spent several hours each week studying the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings, both of which illuminate God who is all loving and omnipotent. My relationship to Him started taking center-stage in my thinking. I was learning about a God who is all-in-all, who only gives good things to his children. As I strove to be more loving to others (off and on the job), it became clear that everything I needed in my life could come from Him, and that living this way brought glimpses of joy into sight.

As I spent minutes daily in quiet communion, I started looking to God for fulfillment, and finding it. Work became easier and more fun when I expressed God-given joy at my workplace, along with other Godlike qualities like tenacity, humor, and unselfishness. I felt carefree because I trusted God more, and that brought more confidence. I was able to express what I was learning about my oneness with God with others.

When I think about how God cleared out the cobwebs of doubt and fear, I just thank Him again and again.

Let’s keep these cobwebs out of our thinking right now by claiming our forever oneness with God. We are in the kingdom of God right now. We cannot be anywhere else.