Losing Purpose

2008 December 19

by Tyler

I mentioned yesterday that this has been a boring week.

I thought about that a little today.

I said this mainly because this week has been totally out of the ordinary. I’m done with school and haven’t had the usual week of work. Because of my busy schedule during school I don’t have a lot of free time to develop some great friendships that I can give more time to when I have more free time. Instead, I tend to just turn on the tv more to burn the extra time.

At the end of the day, I think I am more than bored…I feel purposeless.

I gather a lot of my purpose from my studies at school and from my job.

I haven’t been able to interact with anyone I work with consistently in 2 weeks, I haven’t interacted with anyone in our bands in 2 weeks, I haven’t played with the band for a while, and I’ve been done with school for a week.

Isn’t it amazing how lame life can be when it lacks purpose?

Finding purpose in my job and studies isn’t bad because they are good things, things that God has placed in my life for a reason. But when they become my whole purpose then my life lacks Godly vision. And I think that is where I find myself tonight.

My prayer tonight is that I’ll submit myself to what God has in store during this month off from school.

And by the way…if you are bored too and want to hang out. Let’s do it!

Filed under: the rest...

http://ash-nits.blogspot.com ash

lacking purpose? i feel that is such a pessimistic way to look at it. perhaps you needed the rest! we all need time when we are virtually doing nothing….just vegging. and you don’t do that often b/c of your work and school skeds. perhaps your purpose during your school break is just “be.” don’t worry about “doing” things all the time, sit, relax, cuddle w/ you wife, watch meaningless tv, read, sit quietly, take a walk in the snow, be comfortable with nothing to do. it’s so rewarding and try not to get caught up in feeling “purpose-less.”
http://threebellchime.blogspot.com Ben

That’s why creating things to do that have some sort of end result are important to do during your extra time. I have to deal with this when I’m on break. As a teacher, I have lots of time that needs filling. My wife likes to fill this time with things she needs done. JK. But I honestly have to create a goal of some sort to keep me from completely checking out and wasting too much time. Writing and recording songs is a good way to fill time, especially when you are as picky and a perfectionist like me. Reading and finishing a book is also a good goal. And playing tournaments with your friends on video games always helps as well. I personally want to see you create the dance mix of the century with loops on Garage Band. Then you and your boys can make a new dance party video. LOL!
Karen

Very insightful! I’ve been using “lame” a lot this past week for lack of better word–I’m just “off”. My schedule, my game, my routine, my daughter and *her* routine–it’s all off. It is hard to give myself permission to not be productive every hour the day (because that’s my purpose) and hard to be at the mercy of the weather and ODOT (because my purpose requires movement). But when we’re waylaid for any reason, it’s a lot easier to see the holes in our lives, huh? But it’s also been a strange, strange year on this end…so is it OK to “allow” myself extra unproductive down-time to heal?? I look at it as lost time; maybe God looks at it as found time.
Yonas

I agree with ash. Chillin in this weather (pun intended..ha!) and relaxing is not without purpose.

It is biblical to take a break and rest and be rejuvenated. Don’t ask me to find the verse though. I ain’t no bible scholar.
JRupp

Sunset’s Toy and Joy/Giving Tree needs help this weekend. It’s their delivery period and I bet they could use some drivers.
Just a thought …
http://manofdepravity.com Tyler

I plan on being there!
http://melindalgroth.blogspot.com/ Melinda Groth

Christina and I have talked a lot about that sense of being defined by what we accomplish or are doing. Her long term illness and my role as care giver has taught us a lot about who we are, when stripped of our accomplishments and sense of purpose. The process has actually taught us both a lot about our personal design and helped us define who we are…really. It is a tough but enlightening road. Our prayer for those who are unbalanced by such short-term cabin fever and ‘lack of productivity’ might get an appetizer-size taste of just that. It is an opportunity for revelation, not a handicap.
http://janetfraser.blogspot.com/ Janet Fraser

why dont you and Ro come hang out at our house, there’s pizza in it for you…