Questioning the meaning of life and especially your specific purpose is as common as breathing. It can be daunting to think about what you were called to do. And it can seem like there is a lot of pressure to get it right.

As a child, you might have answered the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up” with ease. That is because as a child the options seem endless, and you can choose to be a doctor or a princess without the understanding the cost of medical school or how few actual princesses there are in the world.

Then in high school, choosing the college and the degree you wanted to graduate with could have been super overwhelming. It is a lot to put on a young person to decide what kind of job or career they want to have for the rest of their life.  So, many base their decisions on the path of least resistance.  Sometimes it means choosing what you think your parents want or whatever sounds interesting at the time.  This is how so many students choose sports marketing and sports related degrees or psychology or sociology because they have an interest in sports or because they are interested in finding out who they are and their role in the world.

However, this is not the same as the questioning the meaning of life or your specific purpose. The meaning of life is spelled out very simply in the scripture as is your specific purpose. Listen to the voice of the one who created you, GOD.  In the first reading (Deuteronomy 30:10-14) and the Gospel (Luke 10:25-37), it is very clear that the meaning of life is to love God and to love others, and when you do this, you are fulfilling your purpose.

The crazy part of it all is when you ask the questions, the answer is always something you have within you or near you.  It’s a lot like the ruby slippers that Dorothy wore in the Wizard of OZ, how she always had the ability to go home, she just didn’t realize the power had been within reach all along. You too have the power within reach.  The realization just doesn’t come at the same time or in the same way for everyone.

It is in the scripture you learn that it is in the Holy Spirit which dwells in you where you can unveil your specific purpose.  It is the connection to who God created you to be that gives you the power to change the world.  And the way to learn this is by paying attention to the specific gifts God has given you to share, the gifts that give you the opportunity to be love to everyone you meet.

But it is not entirely up to you to determine your specific purpose.  It is the role of the community of believers who surround you, those who know you and can help you identify those special gifts that you have been given.  Now of course there are personality tests and career finder tests that you can take to help point you in a specific direction, but God planted the gifts in you as well as a desire for you to achieve it.

Listen.  Watch.  Wait.  And you will know.  Sit with this a while and listen for God to speak clearly into your heart, soul and mind the steps you need to take to fulfill His plan for you.  And if in doubt, ask those around you, those who know you such as your family, teammates/coworkers, mentors, and teachers.  Sometimes it is hard for you to see it since you are so close to it.  So, don’t be afraid to ask others to help you in your search to find your purpose in life and when you do, you will understand the meaning of life and your role in it.