From Feeling Insignificant to Making an Impact

Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?

Clarence, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

I’m not big on Christmas movies, but It’s a Wonderful Life has always been one of my favorites. 

The hero, George Bailey, starts out as anything but. He is worn down by life, defeated by failure. Lost and confused, he feels like his life doesn’t matter. 

Then, through divine intervention, he meets an angel named Clarence, who helps him see that it was not his accomplishments or money that made his life important, but his daily decisions to do good for the people around him. Some decisions were small, some were big, but all made impact in more ways than he could ever know. 

Revived by this newfound joy and purpose, George sheds his discouraged attitude. Before his circumstances even change, George realizes that a life that does good is truly a wonderful life.

My struggles may be different from George Bailey’s, but I feel a lot like him. Buried by my limitations, sins, fears, and fatigue, it’s hard for me to believe that my life is making much of an impact. 

But the message of the Bible is, in many ways, a message of purpose like the one we see in this movie. God sent Jesus to save us so that we could live a wonderful life, enthusiastic for doing what is good: 

For the [remarkable, undeserved] grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. [12] It teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives [with a purpose that reflect spiritual maturity] in this present age, [13] awaiting and confidently expecting the [fulfillment of our] blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, [14] who [willingly] gave Himself [to be crucified] on our behalf to redeem us and purchase our freedom from all wickedness, and to purify for Himself a chosen and very special people to be His own possession, who are enthusiastic for doing what is good.

Titus 2:11-14 AMP

The grace of God appeared through Jesus so that we could live lives of purpose. God sent Jesus to save us not because of how bad we are but because he sees how special we are. He chose us to be on his team, freeing us from the sins that weigh us down so that we can make a lasting impact on the world.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

We may not feel like it—much like George Bailey didn’t feel like it—but we are each a masterpiece, created by God to do good in this world that only we can do. Doing good for others is more than a nice thing to do during the holidays; it’s a way of life, inspired by the special design God has for our lives and our belief in the lives we can touch by living out this purpose.

God sent Jesus to save us not because of how bad we are but because he sees how special we are.

So if we feel insignificant and struggle to believe that our lives can make an impact, let’s read on to discover how God can help us discover our purpose and live a truly wonderful life. 

Our lives are significant to God.

To move from feeling insignificant to making an impact, I need to understand one crucial truth: my life is significant to God. My needs matter, my desires matter, and my purpose matters to him. 

Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! LORD, you told me to come back to my country and to my family. You said that you would do good to me. [10] You have been very kind to me. You did many good things for me. The first time I traveled across the Jordan River, I owned nothing-only my walking stick. But now I own enough things to have two full groups. [11] I ask you to please save me from my brother Esau. I am afraid that he will come and kill us all, even the mothers with the children. [12] Lord, you said to me, ‘I will be good to you. I will increase your family and make your children as many as the sands of the sea. There will be too many to count.'”

Genesis 32:9-12 ERV

Jacob was confident that his life mattered to God, and he held God to his promise of doing good things for him. He chose to focus on his gratitude for God’s goodness rather than thinking only about his fear of his brother and his own shortcomings (and he had many).

God also loves bringing good things into my life—not just things that are necessary for survival but things that bring happiness. I often think a lot more about my own failures and unworthiness than God’s goodness. As a result, I think God must look at me the same way—with disappointment in my performance rather than a desire to encourage me.

God gave Jacob many physical/material gifts, but he also gave him the gift of a purpose. Having many children wasn’t just about Jacob having strength or status or a family life he enjoyed; it was about his life having meaning. 

Jacob was significant to God, even with all his mistakes and weaknesses. God had promised him that all the families on earth would be blessed because of him (Genesis 28:14). Jacob would have a legacy. He would become part of the lineage of Jesus, and his descendants would change the world.

You will again obey the laws and teachings of the LORD, [9] and he will bless you with many children, large herds and flocks, and abundant crops. The LORD will be happy to do good things for you, just as he did for your ancestors.

Deuteronomy 30:8-9 CEV

It makes God happy to do good for us. Understanding God this way and recognizing the gifts he gives us is essential for those of us who feel like our lives are insignificant. We matter to him, and he wants to give us gifts of all kinds including the gift of a purpose. 

God created us for a purpose.

I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking. It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly you know me, Lord! [15] You even formed every bone in my body when you created me in the secret place; carefully, skillfully you shaped me from nothing to something. [16] You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book.

Psalm 139:14-16 TPT

God created us with great skill, and he did it for a reason—he knows who he created us to be and the plans he has for our lives. When we feel insignificant, we need to remember this: Everything about us has a purpose. That includes our weaknesses and our strengths, our gifts and even the things we perceive as flaws. 

For example, when my anxious thoughts are racing, I get frustrated by my inability to calm down and I don’t feel “marvelously breathtaking.” But on the other hand, the ability my brain has to think of many things at the same time can be used for a lot of good—like taking care of people and managing the content calendar for Deep Spirituality. 

God created everything about us for a purpose, and the impact we can make on the world is unique. 

God frees us from sin so that we can make an impact.

In a large house there are things made of gold and silver. But there are also things made of wood and clay. Some of these are used for special purposes, others for ordinary jobs. [21] The Lord wants to use you for special purposes, so make yourself clean from all evil. Then you will be holy, and the Master can use you. You will be ready for any good work.

2 Timothy 2:20-21 ERV

Admitting my sins is usually something I dread—I already feel bad about myself, and I don’t want to see more flaws. But actually God wants us to be “clean from all evil” so that he can work through us for special purposes.

Sin thwarts my purpose; it makes me unable to do the good things God created me to do:

… The desire to do good is inside of me, but I can’t do it. [19] I don’t do the good that I want to do, but I do the evil that I don’t want to do.

Romans 7:18-19 CEB

So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. [23] But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 7:21-25 BSB

Even when we want to do good in the world, sin will stand in the way, and that’s one of the reasons God sent Jesus to free us from sin. 

One of the sins I struggle with is selfish ambition. It makes me want to get personal success and attention from others more than anything else, and I get mad when anyone or anything gets in my way. Recently I was stressed by a lot of work that needed to be done and irritated that I wasn’t meeting my deadlines. I left work and went to the grocery store on my way home, seething and replaying my frustrations in my head as I shopped.

Although I desire to be a light to people around me, I had no ability to carry out that desire that day. My sin was taking me over, snuffing out my light, making me self-consumed and grumpy. 

Admitting my sin to God and repenting changed my attitude and freed me up to be kind. God wants us to deal with our sin so that it doesn’t get in the way of our destiny, not because he wants us to feel bad about ourselves in any way. When Jesus died on the cross, he freed us from the enslaving nature of sin by destroying its power and freeing us up to live a new life. 

Five simple ways to make an impact

Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it.

Proverbs 3:27 GNT

Doing good in the Bible means simply looking for ways to bring good into people’s lives, in whatever unique way we possibly can. Now that we believe that we can make an impact, let’s look at a few simple ways to do it. 

1. We can do good at home.

…  In my own home I will lead a life that is without blame.

Psalm 101:2 NIrV

When we think of doing good or making an impact, we often think about serving the community around us. But one of the biggest places we can make a difference is in our own homes. 

In what unique ways can you bring good to the people in your home? In what special ways can you encourage your family or roommates that others might not be able to?

2. We can do good through what we say.

Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.

Ephesians 4:29 GNT

Our words can do a lot of good. Just by being kind to a neighbor or saying something encouraging we can make a great impact on the people we talk to. Even if we don’t have a lot of time or resources to offer, everyone can offer the gift of helpful words.

Who can you encourage today by using helpful words?

3. We can do good with our talents.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. [11] Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT

God gives us gifts, and he wants us to use them to serve others. What gifts has God given you? How can you use them to do good for other people?

4. We can do good through our weaknesses.

To those who are weak I became weak. That was to win the weak. I have become all things to all people. I have done this so that in all possible ways I might save some. [23] I do all this because of the good news. And I want to share in its blessings.

1 Corinthians 9:22-23 NIrV

Our weaknesses can help us relate to others and bring God’s good news to them. They make us compassionate and sensitive to the needs of others. 

We can do good through our weaknesses by leaning into our limitations and finding ways to do good for others who might have the same ones. 

What weaknesses do you experience in your life? How could you do good for those who have similar weaknesses?

5. We can do good together. 

We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works.

Hebrews 10:24 ERV

We don’t have to carry out our purpose alone. When we do good together with our friends, we can encourage each other to keep going. Often, our friends see our potential to make an impact better than we do and can help us believe that our lives are significant. 

What is something good you want to do, and who can do it with you?

Final thoughts

The grace of God appeared through Jesus so we could live lives of purpose. God sent Jesus not because of how bad we are, but because he sees how special we are. As God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus, we are freed from sin to do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). 

Even when we don’t feel significant—like George Bailey—we are uniquely designed by God to make an eternal impact. A truly wonderful life begins when we embrace his purpose and live it out daily.