I have this problem with the idea of God impressing his own meaning or purpose on your life; that you must somehow adhere to these supposedly objective ideals. It’s like me designing a spade in order for the spade to dig up turf on a Tuesday morning. Imagine that the spade was sentient. Even if I had designed and created this spade, what is there in those intentions of mine that mean that the spade should have those as its own subjective meaning or purpose, other than threat of being broken and thrown away? If the spade found meaning and purpose in, I don’t know, partying with the trowels and helping the flower pots achieve their goals in life, then so be it.
It is far more noble, in my opinion, to sit and think hard and create meaning and purpose in one’s life oneself. Yes, you could create meaning and purpose that align with those that God has for you. If that is the case, then well done you. But that is no more valid than any other meaning or purpose that you might create. And the threat of hell over you for not aligning your purpose with God’s is rather a large case of emotional blackmail! Having some overlord tell you what your purpose is rather authoritarian and cuts short one of the things that makes us human – that desire and pursuit of meaning in a complex and murky universe.
In short:
Be more like spade.
