Praying Clarifies Purpose

Scripture — Mark 1:35-38 (NRSV)

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.”

Devotion

In recent devotions, we have seen how Jesus remained faithful to his purpose, even when that meant disappointing the crowds who were clamoring for him. I have suggested that you and I need a similar focus on our main purpose(s) in life.

But how can we stay focused in this way? How can we have clarity about our purpose in life? After all, we’re not Jesus. We aren’t the Son of God. Our minds and hearts are distorted by sin. Can we ever hope to know our purpose and stick to it?

To be sure, our sin does get in the way of our ability to know and do God’s will. But the example of Jesus points to something we can do to nurture our communication with God so that we might have a clearer sense of our life’s purpose. Mark 1:35 says that Jesus got up “in the morning, while it was still very dark” and “went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” Jesus sensed that he needed some extended time alone with his Heavenly Father. No doubt, in this time Jesus received additional clarity and guidance concerning his messianic work. Because he had spent quality and quantity time alone with the Father, Jesus was able to reject the temptation to play to the crowds. He could stay focused on his purpose because he had taken time for prayer.

Prayer clarifies purpose. When we pray, especially when we are quiet enough to allow God to speak to us, we can know why God has put us on the earth. Moreover, prayer enables us to focus on our purpose, rather than become distracted by all sorts of distracting causes and conditions. So, if we want to be able to live our lives with maximum impact, doing that to which God has called us, then, like Jesus, we need to spend time with our Heavenly Father. Though we may not be able to get up early and go to an isolated place, we need to get away from the distractions of life regularly in order to quiet our hearts before God and be refreshed in our sense of God’s purpose for our lives.

Now, I’m not suggesting that prayer is some magic key that immediately opens the door of purpose. Sometimes God responds quickly to our prayers for guidance concerning our purpose. At other times we pray and pray and pray and pray. It can seem as if God isn’t answering or isn’t even there. But in truth, God is there. And when the time is right, God will clarify our purpose. Yes, it can be hard to wait. But if you’re having a hard time waiting on God, be encouraged by these words from the prophet Isaiah:

Even youths will faint and be weary,

     and the young will fall exhausted;

but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,

     they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

     they shall walk and not faint (Isa 40:30-31).

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.).