Dear Y.B.M.,
I hope that you have committed to not settling for the mundane life that most people live. I hope that you are ready to reach for something higher. And, by “higher”, I mean the highest possible level that one can attain.
While you are seeking to determine the purpose of your life, please understand that any purpose that is truly worthwhile is one that is tied to a higher purpose. Your purpose, if it is to be truly meaningful, must be wrapped up in God’s purpose for the world. As the saying goes, “Only one life, twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”
One day, you will die. You ought to be determined to leave something of significance behind. It could be a book, a movie, or music. It could be the impact you had on the lives of your children and the lives of others. It could be a business or a charity. Beyonce sang a song titled “I Was Here.” It starts like this:
I want to leave my footprints on the sand of time
Know there was something that I left behind
When I leave this world, I’ll leave no regrets
I’ll leave something to remember so they won’t forget
You ought to have that same desire.
But, the truth is that the entire world will one day pass away. The Apostle Peter wrote, “The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Yes, even the things you leave behind will be “burned up” when the world ends. So, does anything that we do now really matter? Absolutely, yes.
In order for what you do to matter in the end, you want to be engaged in fulfilling a purpose that has eternal implications. You want to impact people’s souls, not just their physical existence. You want to have an effect on their inner person. The highest form of this is sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people you meet. This can be done in a variety of forms, even if one is not called to preach. I know of a barn-building company that includes on all of its billboards and brochures the slogan, “Jesus is coming. Are you ready?” There is no telling how many people have been prompted to question the status of their souls simply by being seeing that statement.
While it is great to sell houses, cut hair, or make music, be aware that the people who are impacted by your work also have a soul that will live forever in Heaven or Hell. The most important thing in their life is their relationship with God. What can you do to encourage that in the area in which you work?
This is not to say that you cannot become a police officer or a teacher or a doctor. All of those roles are vitally important to God and to the world He created. But how you influence people spiritually will be your greatest—and only—contribution that will last forever.
Yours for engaging in an eternal purpose,
Daniel Whyte III
P.T. (Power Thoughts):
David Platt said, “There is indescribable joy, deep satisfaction, and an eternal purpose in dying to ourselves and living for Christ.”
Rick Warren said, “To discover your purpose in life you must turn to God’s Word, not the world’s wisdom. You must build your life on eternal truths, not pop psychology, success-motivation, or inspirational stories.”
Woodrow Kroll said, “God’s purpose gives life meaning.”
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
BCNN1 WP 