What’s the point?
When life feels monotonous or futile, we can find freshness and inspiration in our divinely ordained purpose: to make evident the goodness and energy of the Divine.
It can be really hard to get up in the morning when you feel as though it would be just as well if you stayed in bed. Most of us have probably faced moments like this. The same toothpaste, the same breakfast, the same commute, lie before us, and we may wonder, “What’s the point?”
Whether these feelings come subtly, like background noise to a mundane routine, or are accompanied by a deeper depression and hopelessness, no one deserves to live under this kind of mental oppression.
When I’ve been faced with an overwhelming sense of futility, I’ve found it helpful to pray. Bible verses have often brought peace and rejuvenation. Other times, a line from the “Christian Science Hymnal” will speak to me in a way that breaks through intense feelings of discouragement or dullness. For instance, there’s this one: “today hath need of thee” (William H. Burleigh, No. 6).
This points to an encouraging sense of purpose. In fact, each of us, as God’s spiritual creation, has an essential, divinely ordained role: to make evident the goodness of the Divine. As children of the Divine, we are the spiritual expression of God, reflecting the present, infinite activity of divine Life itself.
And we can bring that out in our day-to-day lives by understanding and accepting the truth that this is what we are. Doing so gives us the freedom and freshness to exchange a predetermined measure of what will constitute a successful day for a willingness to yield to God’s guidance and inspiration.
Often this results in surprise outcomes that enrich our experience and open our hearts to benefiting others in unplanned ways. As another hymn promises: “Hushed in the grandeur of a heart’s awakening, / Unfolds a joy unknown till found in Him” (Susan F. Campbell, No. 149).
That “heart’s awakening” can come to each of us naturally as we recognize our grand purpose as the very expression of God, the manifestation of divine Love. There is no greater joy than to live with the knowledge of this purpose. God, our infinitely intelligent creator, certainly would not make something that has no function in the universe. It is exhilarating to know that when our thoughts and actions are based in the spiritual reality that we are the very expression of God’s love, they contribute to the greater good in tangible ways.
This approach to our day also leaves us feeling less burdened and more refreshed, even in the midst of demanding or monotonous schedules. Two powerful antidotes to dullness in daily life are gratitude and selflessness. When I have been more awake to even the small evidences of God’s goodness surrounding me throughout the day, and when I have honestly desired to help make others’ days more uplifted, I have found myself feeling stronger, freer, and much more inspired, as if each moment is an adventure.
The prophets in the Bible imparted the message of our divine purpose in beautiful ways, such as this verse from Isaiah: “The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring” (58:11, New Living Translation). We are not personally responsible for generating the energy to live this way. Divine Spirit, the source of all being, animates and guides each of us to be what we were created to be: selfless, joyful, purposeful.
In “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, gives this blessing, which I’ve found to be a perfect way to begin my day: “Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life and recognizing no mortal nor material power as able to destroy” (p. 249). Nothing can destroy the peace and purpose God has given everyone. We can let the “divine energy of Spirit” get us out of bed and enliven us to feel blessed and be a blessing to the world. There is nothing predictable or routine about living that way!