Making a Difference in a Broken World

A recent study was completed by a research firm asking people to identify what they thought was the most important ingredient of a happy and successful life.  The response was very enlightening.  The majority of those who responded said that they felt that “having a purpose in life and making a difference in the world” was what made a life happy and successful.

What a noble concept that is!  To have a purpose in life bigger than themselves and being able to make a difference in the world.  It was surprising to hear this answer from a group of millennials, who many think focus only on themselves.

The sad reality is that apart from God and a commitment to His will, few people will ever be able to find these things in life.

There are many good causes that people give their lives to in our world.  Some try to find a sense of purpose in accumulating wealth.  Others seek political power or activities to save the planet or alleviate suffering.   While these things may be good in many ways, they fail to meet the standard of finding a purpose bigger than life or to truly make an eternal difference in the world. 

However good and noble many things seem to be, the truth of the matter is that the purpose is not big enough and the difference made is not great enough to make a lasting difference in the world.

The Bible says that the only purpose that will give eternal meaning to one’s life is to discover and do the will of God.  The Lord Jesus Christ forever demonstrated that the only way to change the world is by seeing individual lives transformed by the power of grace.  Then, by living in that purpose and through true transformation we can go about the work of helping the poor, blessing the sick, seeking justice, and many other things that make a real difference in the world.

There is no greater purpose than doing the will of God in your life and there is no greater way to make an eternal difference in the world than seeing lives transformed through His matchless grace.

As a new year and a new decade begins, may I ask you an honest question?  The question is simply:

Do you want to make a real difference in our broken world?

If you do, God is willing and able to give you a purpose worth living for and a message that really makes a difference in the lives of those around you.

by David Dean, President

Growth Ministries Unlimited