Our True Purpose

ADRIENNE MEAD TINDALL

Life can seem so frantic! There are times when one may feel pulled in dozens of directions and inadequate to do justice to any of them. Family, business, friends, studies, and other commitments can demand immediate attention, decisions, support, action, without regard for the maximum effort one can put forth. And when we get helplessly caught up in such human doings, the scene seems crowded with half-fulfilled plans and thwarted hopes.

But thank God we can reject that sense of frustration! Christian Science assures us there is no law in God's universe to support a feeling of futility in our daily activities. Therefore we can eradicate such feelings, and an effective way is to understand our real purpose in life.

The reason for our existence isn't primarily to tally up a long list of accomplishments, even though worthy accomplishments are inseparable from our true purpose. In his Sermon on the Mount Christ Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."^{Matt. 5:16;} Doesn't the emphasis here go past the works themselves to the glorifying of God? How beautiful to see that glorifying God is our steady, peace-filled, inexhaustible purpose! Recognizing that this purpose supersedes all mortal busyness—and living in accord with this recognition—we will nullify the multidirectional pushes and pulls of the human scene while more effectively fulfilling our obligations.