I’m Made For God’s Purpose Too

Last week, we encouraged teenagers to ponder and meditate upon the reason for their being. In so doing, you will begin to identify the signs that point you to your purpose in life. Rick Warren, author of the bestseller, ‘The Purpose-Driven Life’, explains that today’s teenagers are not looking for the meaning of life but for meaning in life. This includes a purpose for living, something that makes their lives worth living. To Rick, the teenagers are seeking the very thing for which God made them. A lot of the material for this topic shall be taken from Rick Warren’s writings.

We are made for His Purpose

“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him”. (Col. 1:16 MSG)

God made everyone – infact, everything – with a purpose. Therefore, knowing this should make a difference in the life of the teenage who feels truly and wholly accepted by God; who understands deeply that they belong to the family of God; and that the hand of God will guide them deliberately throughout life. That God created them for a specific mission in life, and they can start on that mission right now, regardless of their age.

According to Rick Warren, teenagers were created by God to fulfill these five purposes:

1. You were planned for God’s pleasure:

God made man for His own joy. And that is the first purpose for living: for God’s pleasure. So, how come we find that most teenagers struggle with love and acceptance? Teenagers need to build into their lives the precious knowledge that they were created as an object of God’s love. And there is nothing – absolutely nothing – that can stop God from loving you. He loves and accepts teenagers, regardless of all the smart mouth, brashness, piercings and tattoos, sagging and what-nots.

2. You were formed for God’s family:

Teenagers are always searching for a group to belong, a place where they can feel accepted. And that is because God created us with a longing for belonging so we can become a member of His family. Ephesians 1:5 teaches us that “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family.” (NLT)

While friendships keep teenagers wondering if some will survive a few months, our relationship with other believers in God’s family is going to extend for eternity. The Christian life is not just a matter of believing; it is also about belonging. God didn’t create us just to be believers; we’re also made to belong to the family of God.

3. You were created to be like Christ:

God created us to be like Christ, and we call that discipleship. God made us to transform us into the likeness of His son, Jesus Christ. You are therefore, not an accident. Your birth and the family you were born into are all part of God’s original plan. No matter the mistakes we’ve made in the past, God works all things out for those who call upon Him and are called according to His purpose.

God is still working the same plan he’s always had from the very beginning of time. Let God take you through everything Jesus went through -- including the loneliness, temptation, unpopularity, criticism, etc. For only then can you truly become like Him. So, every time you experience these circumstances, don’t try to fix the problem; just take out some time to determine if this is something meant to make you more Christ-like.

4. You are shaped for saintly service:

Ephesians 2:10 teaches us that, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” (NLT)

God created each of us to serve Him, and in the church, we call that ministry. Every Christian is created to serve, and that means teens are called to ministry, created for ministry, saved for ministry, and uniquely gifted for ministry. The Bible makes it very clear that every Christian is a minister, regardless of age.

So, you don’t have to wait until you get older before you get involved in the ministry. The God of the universe has already wired you to serve, and you can start right now.

5. You were made for mission:

Do you know that God created you for a specific mission here on Earth? Jesus said in John 17:18, “[Father], in the same way you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.” (MSG)

Teenagers can serve believers and evangelize unbelievers. You can join other families on mission trips together or to reach the neighborhood for Christ. Studies have shown that most people who come to Christ do so before they turn 18. Studies also show that people are far more receptive to hearing the Gospel from a friend than a stranger. This combination gives Christian teenagers an incredible opportunity for ministry and mission.

Conclusion

Everyone's life is driven by something - guilt, worry or fear, insecurity, anger, resentment, their past, possessions, parents, money, etc. God wants us to be purpose driven people, driven by His plan, His purpose for our lives. That's where meaning and significance come.