Essay Sample. Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

Over time, people have questioned the appropriate mannerisms and actions to live on Earth. Some various pillars and doctrines govern our actions, behaviors, and the way we interact and undertake our lives here on Earth. Some of the critical factors include religion, past experiences, etc. Religion has been defined as one of the most influential powers within the members of society. Though contrasting, many people try to find purpose in life through various beliefs such as self-motivation, looking after celebrities, mantras, and ideas from religion, and through our family member's advice and sentiments towards our lives. Warren Rick, among the most influential spiritual leaders, has played a significant role in helping people find their purpose in life through Christianity and a strong belief in Christ and standing on His word and promises. Religion has been a strong pillar in every individual's experiences, and Rick Warren helps to guide members of the community to find their purpose through establishing a strong foundation in Christ.

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The book focuses on the various purposes that shall guide the Christians and other members of society to have a definite purpose towards their lives. Its emphasis on God is seen even on its opening statement that says It all starts with God. The book describes the move that most individuals take on the wrong perspective while trying to establish a sense of direction and purpose in their lives (Warren, 2002). Most people rely on themselves rather than focusing on their Creator God. Most people end up asking themselves self-centered questions and criticisms instead of laying a foundation of their life through establishing or finding an eternal truth. The best way to develop a sense of purpose is by incorporating God and the Holy Trinity in your daily life. God knew of our existence even before we were conceived, and through establishing a strong relationship with Jesus, people shall have a purpose for their lives. Our reality is a small fraction of God's grand plan here on Earth; therefore, people should always look up to Him and find a sense of direction in Him (Warren, 2002). Through the Bible, Colossians 1:16b states that everything got started in Him and find its purpose in Him. The scripture clearly defines an integral part of God in our lives. From him was life breathed and created through him, and hence our purpose in life should be inclined towards God. Therefore, all Christians are encouraged to establish a sense of purpose and have their hope in God.

The notion of people believing they were not planned to exist on this Earth is elaborated clearly through the scripture Isaiah 44:29 that states I am your Creator; you were in my care even before you were born. Many people have the mental thinking that they were mistakes or accidents, and their mere existence in this life was not pre-determined but spontaneous. The book teaches us that we are predestined even before our conception, and our even our birth on Earth is a strong implication that God planned every person's days, this includes their birth date and also the full lifespan here on Earth (Warren, 2002). We are a plan of God made of full precision; hence there is no mistake that God has made since the beginning of time. Every human being should have the belief that they have an intended contribution to society (Warren, 2002).

Many factors drive people in life. This includes guilt, materialism, fear, anger, and resentment, plus the need for approval and acceptance by the other inhabitants of the universe. These emotions and sentiments have revolved around many people over generations. However, our purpose should be to establish a relationship with God (Warren, 2002). The benefits of living a purpose-driven life include giving meaning to one's life, motivation in life, simplification of life, a strong focus on growth, and finally, ample preparation towards eternity. Purpose brings meaning in life, and a person knows what he or she needs in their life and focuses on that. Establishing motivation in life is essential for growth and progress, and a purpose-driven life gives strength to wake up daily to meet the daily goals and objectives. Having a strong sentiment towards eternity is also crucial, and through a purpose-driven life, one has strong faith in Christ and firmly believes in the afterlife (Tozer, 2008). Eternity is an essential pillar of every Christian's life. Every Christian has the hope to be reunited with Christ forever. The most crucial purpose in our lives should be geared towards being practical and living a holy life to have eternal life. The next life focuses on hell and heaven. A vision towards eternity changes our perception and take of the world. It affects our interactions and the people in our lives. We understand the afterlife creates a strong sense of character and relationships to help in creating rating a strong foundation on eternity. Character makes a man.

A vision towards eternity helps us build our character through living a holy life guided by the principles and laws of God. These laws help us to be geared towards establishing beneficial relationships and having meaningful relationships that build us towards achieving the ultimate goal of eternity and being reunited with our Creator. Our identity should be based on heaven, which is our eternal home. Our reason for a living should be in glorifying and worshipping our Creator God (Tozer, 2008). Our God is enthroned in the praises of all the people of the Earth. We worship and glorify God through loving our fellow believers, serving other members of the community with our gifts, living, and becoming like Christ, through praising Him and telling others about God. The ultimate way to show glory to God is by enlightening and guiding others into the light through the sharing of scriptures and teaching the word of God. Through the great commission, Christians are obligated to preach the gospel to all four corners of the world. An actual show of glory to our God is by witnessing Christ everywhere we go and being aggressive ambassadors of the gospel and its power (Tozer, 2008).

The book encompasses five essential purposes that all Christians should pursue during their lives on Earth.

Purpose 1: Planned for God’s Purpose

The scripture from Psalms 149:4a states that the Lord takes pleasure in His people. We are obligated to live a life that brings happiness to our God. Just as Psalms clearly says that He takes pleasure in His people. We should worship Him and live a life that brings joy to Him. As Christians, God derives pleasure through specific actions and our conduct on Earth. This includes trusting God completely. In his word, God continually reminds us to put out hope and trust in Him. As our Creator, He knows what is best for us, and therefore, we should put our utmost confidence in Him. Obeying His doctrines plus worshipping and thanking Him consistently. Our God finds pleasure when we praise and become thankful for all He has done to us.

Total surrender to the Creator is another fundamental approach in establishing a strong relationship with our God (Thellman, 2020) love. God compels us to surrender ourselves wholly. This means Christians should be ready to leave earthly possessions and relationships in pursuit of the establishment of a strong relationship with God. This form of contact is built through constant conversations and consistent meditation on the precepts of God. The conversation is through our prayers and interventions. Christians should be open with the Lord during prayer and meditate on His word daily, just as David said.

Worship is an essential pillar in Christianity, and therefore, the worship that pleases God has the following attributes. This includes authentic worship, true worship, thoughtful worship, and practical worship. Authentic worship entails reverence towards God with a pure desire to build a strong bond with him. The bible says that we would worship in truth and spirit. God is happy when we interact with Him in the spirit since we are spirit beings in the flesh. He designed our souls to have direct interaction with Him. We need to build a faith that is unshaken even when we feel that God is not near; we still hold on the firm to the promises of His word. Christians need to learn to trust in God to meet their needs (Tozer, 2008).

Purpose 2: You Were Formed for God's Family

Jesus, during his tenure on Earth, said that He is the vine and we are the branches. This symbolism attributes to the relationship that Jesus Christ has with us. We are part of God's family, and therefore, we are obligated to live a life that portrays God in us. This is through our actions, conduct, behavior, etc. All these mannerisms and practices should reflect who God is and what we stand for. Love is the greatest commandment and also the most significant attribute for every child of God (Thellman, 2020). The two greatest commandments are encompassed towards love, and therefore, all Christians should learn to love unconditionally. Unconditional love teaches us to live a purposeful life as we have excellent care and concern towards other people in the community and society. Having a sense of belonging in Christ's family is essential to our identity as Christians (Thellman, 2020). The body of Christ unifies and strengthens all believers and ensures that every person serves a purpose in the house of God. This strong foundation helps in establishing strong Christians and prevent them from falling short of grace and into worldly pleasures. Love is a critical component in determining our purpose through Jesus Christ (Thellman, 2020).

The foundations of love shall be a strong catalyst for all Christians to live a life that pleases the Lord. Love helps us to live cordially with other members of society. It is also through love that Christians have the burning desire to take the word of God to all the corners of the world (Thellman, 2020). Love gives us access to become a member of the body of Christ. Therefore, we should stay steadfast in the body of Christ because, in unity, there is strength through collective gatherings and fellowships, we can overcome any temptations from the enemy. Living as one is essential for the family of Christ. Christians need to have a stable relationship and communication network to understand their friends and other fellowship members. This shall create strong synergy and strength during trials and temptations.

Purpose 3: You Were Created to Be More Like Christ.

The bible tells us that we are created in God's image and likeness. God created us to take his form to be like Him; therefore, we were made to be just like Christ Jesus. However, many questions arise on how we are supposed to live like Christ. Rick tells us that we need to let the holy spirit dwell within us. Inhabitation of the holy spirit in us is the only remedy to guide us to live like Christ. Not imitation but learning to interact and work with the holy spirit from within oneself. Rick defines spiritual maturity as a vital component in being Christ minded and living like Him (Warren, 2002). Spiritual maturity is gradual and proactive since it elevates us from one level to the next. The truth of God's word is the only source for spiritual growth. Christians need to live and abide by the word of God and cement those laws, decrees, and insights in their hearts, meditate upon them and implement them in their daily lives. Just as worship needs to be practical, so does spiritual maturity (Warren, 2002).