Finding Our Purpose in Life, Our "Inner Necessity"

“By slowly converting our loneliness into a deep solitude, we create that precious space where we can discover the voice telling us about our inner necessity- that is, our vocation.” 

Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life 

by Henri J. M. Nouwen

" What is the meaning of life?" "What am I here for?" "What do I offer the world that no one else can?"

I remember in college hearing other students ask these questions and wrestle to find the answers. And I asked those questions myself. In fact, the older I get, the more I ask the latter two questions. Why? Because I don't want to get to the end of my life and find I've missed out on being who I was meant to be.

Some people seem to settle into their place in the world rather quickly. They have a knack. They have a clear ability that leads them into a field of work in which they thrive. But, particularly in the world of today, many more people flounder. They move from job to job. They find good work, interesting work, but never quite feel fulfilled. They haven't found their calling. Or as Nouwen would say, they haven't found their "inner necessity".


So how do we create that "precious space"? How do we convert our loneliness into a deep solitude in a face-pace, information-laden culture?


It's not easy. But if the reward is finding that voice that reveals our "inner necessity", then isn't it worth it? Should we not slowly settle into a deep solitude where we can listen?


If you've created space for listening to that voice and have discovered your inner necessity, please share what you did and what it has meant to you.