“If God made me for a purpose, how do I actually figure out what that purpose is
while I’m still in school?”
Hello Team,
That’s a really great question, and I’m going to give you a very simple answer: you probably won’t know—not now, and maybe not for many years to come.
TLDR: You probably won’t know your ultimate purpose right now, but each day Christ gives us a clear purpose to help others.
Change Your Focus
It is very common for young people to feel pressured to figure out their whole life plan early. Questions such as: What do I do with my life? What college should I go to? What career should I pursue? What’s God’s plan for me?
But instead of getting overwhelmed by such big life decisions, a better question might be this: “How can I use my life today to help other people?”
You may not know your ultimate purpose right now, but the Bible actually gives us our core purpose very clearly. Jesus said our purpose is to love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37–39 LSB). That means every single day already has a purpose you can live out.
Instead of worrying about some distant future calling, start by asking:
Am I loving God today?
Am I helping people today?
Knowing Your Purpose
Now, let’s consider what we mean when we ask: “How do I figure out what my purpose is?”
And that’s a fair question. But it’s not something you need to stress about too much right now, and I’ll tell you why.
One thing you learn as you get older is that God works on His timeline, not ours. Scripture reminds us that we may make plans, but God directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9 LSB). The direction you go now in your life, might not be the direction you continue to go on. In fact, I can almost guarantee, that what you think you should be doing right now, is not what you’ll end up doing, and that’s OK.
Two Examples of Changing Direction
For example, the Williamson County FCA director, Andrew Slack, originally wanted to be a physiotherapist while studying in college. Instead, before he left, he changed his mind and became a commercial fisherman in Alaska. Then he became a firefighter in Texas, and now, he serves on the FCA. His plan changed, as his life experiences led him somewhere he probably never expected—but he was well prepared when he got there.
My story is similar. I spent most of my life as an atheist, working to help people make sense of their lives as a psychotherapist in England. I never imagined I would end up becoming a Christian or talking about Christianity and apologetics in Texas. But everything I learned along the way about how people think and what holds them back in their lives, has prepared me for what I’m doing now. God’s plan was not my plan, but here I am with skills that now help others come to know Him.
So, here’s the encouragement:
Don’t stress about discovering some grand life purpose right away. Focus on what matters right now: love God, love people, and be faithful in the ups and downs of life. Don’t worry about what you are not doing—focus on what you are doing, and do the best you can, because faithfulness in small things often shapes the larger direction of our lives (Luke 16:10 LSB).
Let God Shape You
As you live that way, your experiences, your faithfulness, and the skills you accumulate will create opportunities. As you grow in these areas, God will place people in front of you who will shape your path and purpose. The more you focus on others, the more opportunities for growth will come your way, and your purpose will slowly unfold.
So, don’t rush your life. Take one day at a time, and let God teach you who you are becoming before you worry too much about where you are going.
Scripture Verse—Legacy Standard Bible translation:
Matthew 22:37–39 (LSB)
Proverbs 16:9 (LSB)
Luke 16:10 (LSB)