Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20 MSG)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
What is the purpose of it all? A fairly common question often asked in a moment of existential yearning. Motivational speakers will tell you that it is your purpose you are to pursue with passion. Regrettably, they don\u2019t tell you how to discover your purpose except through some claim of, \u201cDo what you\u2019re passionate about and then you\u2019ll know what your purpose is.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, we try things hoping just one venture might ignite a spark within us. We go along, sometimes for decades, hoping the path we have chosen is the purpose we have been searching for. Some become so full of themselves in this journey every decision they make is backed by the Frank Sinatra song, \u201cI did it my way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most, however, feel aimless. Wandering without a destination or plan, battered by the winds of change, always one step away from going over the edge into the abyss of despair. They are empty, never even tasting a measure of the fullness they crave. They feel that their life has no value.<\/p>\n
The one thing which both of these viewpoints share is the preoccupation with self. Either I have a purpose, or I don\u2019t. It\u2019s all about me, myself and I. I was deposited on this planet with the intent to appreciate in value before being withdrawn. Purpose is the catalyst to appreciation, not only for myself, but from others. Self-centered thinking.<\/p>\n
So, let me tweak your perception for a moment. Consider the opening passage from Paul. He comes to realize how \u201che\u201d doesn\u2019t live this life. Oh, sure, there is a body walking about the earth, but it\u2019s occupied by Christ, not Paul. Does Paul\u2019s claim appear to be any different from, \u201cThe Father and I are one,\u201d which Jesus made? No.<\/p>\n
How many times have you professed Paul\u2019s claim and yet didn\u2019t believe \u201cyourself\u201d enough to accept there is no longer a \u201cYou\u201d? How would you feel if suddenly there came a flash of revelation that your earthly birth was simply the manifestation of God showing off as \u201cyou\u201d? Would you and God then be \u201cOne\u201d just like Jesus was? Would Paul\u2019s revelation become your revelation? What if \u201cyour\u201d purpose was to discover \u201cHis\u201d purpose as \u201cyou\u201d, how would this unfold? If you and the Father are one, and I and the Father are one, aren\u2019t we then one according to Jesus\u2019 prayer?<\/p>\n
If we are the unique manifestation of the Father on this earth, what purpose is there in praying to a God who is up and out there somewhere? If the kingdom is within us, does prayer need to spoken out for others to hear? Can communion with the Father be an internal occurrence known as prayer? If the Father \u201cfills all in all,\u201d can we claim to be purpose-full?<\/p>\n
Have you been filled with a purpose which you draw from within, rather than from without? Who is living this life, fully you or you, filled? If there is a purpose in this writing it is to get \u201cyou\u201d to recognize how full of purpose \u201cyou\u201d are already; \u201cbeing filled\u201d denotes a lack which an abundant Father finds no purpose in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. 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Synthesizing reflections on seeking meaning amid crisis and probing our true self beyond roles, we uncover a path where grace reveals our eternal essence, guiding us from weariness to awakened oneness. This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2025 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2025 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2025\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"hand in hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2348,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2020\/07\/13\/as-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":2333,"position":1},"title":"As You","author":"mike","date":"July 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The quest for the meaning of life is fraught with the myopic preponderance of self. \u201cWhat am I here for?\u201d Understandably, it is difficult to remove our self from the matter of living when purpose seems to be the result of our actions. However, what if life is not, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2020 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2020 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2020\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"hand in hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":610,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2017\/01\/04\/concern\/","url_meta":{"origin":2333,"position":2},"title":"Concern","author":"mike","date":"January 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Some questions left unanswered. Why did Jesus prefer to die on the eve of Passover rather than on Yom Kippur? What if \u201cdied for our sins\u201d doesn\u2019t mean what we\u2019ve been taught it means? How does the politically-influenced death of a young Jewish carpenter turned teacher 2,000 years ago change\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2017 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2017 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2017\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":400,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2016\/07\/07\/the-intentions-of-grace\/","url_meta":{"origin":2333,"position":3},"title":"The Intentions of Grace","author":"mike","date":"July 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the big question: What is the purpose of it all? There are a number of people talking about what is God\u2019s original intention for man. Almost without fail, they link that intention to the following verse: Genesis 1:28 KJVR (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2016 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2016 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2016\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3289,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/29\/enduring-fingerprints-grace-through-lifes-transitions\/","url_meta":{"origin":2333,"position":4},"title":"Enduring Fingerprints: Grace Through Life’s Transitions","author":"mike","date":"November 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The \"fingerprints of grace\" theme extends to life's transitions\u2014grief, change, or renewal\u2014where divine love's subtle marks endure, guiding us from darkness to light. Rather than fleeting thunder, grace imprints quietly in memories and hopes, affirming our eternal soul amid impermanence. This exploration invites embracing transitions as grace-filled revelations, fostering deeper\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2025 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2025 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2025\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"hand in hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2150,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2019\/04\/12\/eternal-grace\/","url_meta":{"origin":2333,"position":5},"title":"Eternal grace","author":"mike","date":"April 12, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"What do you do when everything you\u2019ve ever known or considered about grace suddenly flips itself on its head by a simple revelation? 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