Finding Purpose Beyond Worldly Success

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by Loring Muir, YBL 2nd Half Coordinator

Each Wednesday morning, I have the privilege of meeting with a small group of men who have recently retired or are moving toward retirement. Over the past couple of months, we have been discussing the book From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks. While the book is not based primarily on a Christian world view, it does provide excellent insights on how to find purpose and significance later in life. There were several key action steps we discussed that I thought would be worth sharing:

  • Begin shifting toward mentoring, teaching, and advising. Start sharing knowledge instead of forcing results.
  • Redefine yourself by who you belong to, not what you have done.
  • Subtract before you add. Simplify possessions and commitments.
  • Invest deeply in relationships. Rebuild neglected friendships.
  • Develop spiritual depth. Reflect on eternal purpose, not just earthly success.
  • Train yourself to want less. Practice gratitude daily and limit comparison to others.
  • Embrace weakness as a new strength. Lean into humility, wisdom, and dependence on God.

These action steps can be summarized in the following – Love God (Matthew 22:37), Love Others (Matthew 22:39), and Make Disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

This is my prayer – Father, give me a heart to serve and encourage others. Keep me humble, dependent, and fully reliable on You. Teach me to love people and worship You above all. Help me to invest my time and resources in things that will have eternal significance. Use my life to point others to Christ. May I remain faithful to the end. Amen.

Perhaps that can be your prayer today as well.