Why Are We Here?

Why are we here? It's the question that haunts philosophers, drives seekers, and challenges every human heart. As a former lukewarm Christian who found himself asking this very question in a coffee shop conversation, I discovered the answer isn't found in theory—it's found in recognizing the divine appointments God orchestrates in our everyday moments. Let me share how understanding why we're here transformed my life from spiritual sleepwalking to passionate kingdom purpose.

Why are we here? Which fork to take?

The late baseball great Yogi Berra comically said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Although he was giving directions to his house at the time, I want to share how these words of wisdom completely transformed my understanding of why we're here—and how God uses the most ordinary moments to reveal His extraordinary purpose for our lives.

Why Are We Here? A Coffee Shop Revelation

Let me tell you a true story that changed everything for me. Back in 2001, I was sitting in a coffee shop with my colleague Dr. Randy Brown, both of us professors at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. We were doing what academics do best—overthinking life's biggest questions while procrastinating on our grading.

"Why are we here?" Randy asked, stirring his coffee thoughtfully.

It seemed like such a simple question, but it launched us into one of those conversations that stretch for two hours. We explored every philosophical path we could think of. Existentialists had their answers. Nihilists had theirs. Buddhists and other religious traditions offered their own neat, packaged responses.

The problem? All these answers felt theoretical, academic, and distant from real life. As Yogi Berra also said, "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is."

The Practical Question That Changed Everything

So we reframed the question. Instead of asking "Why are we here?" in some grand, cosmic sense, we asked, "Why are we here, right now, teaching and learning with our graduate students?"

The obvious answers came first:

• We receive salaries to teach

• Students pay tuition to learn

• Grades depend on attendance

• Learning happens through interaction

• Relationships form that last lifetimes

• Knowledge and skills develop for real-world practice

These reasons made sense. They were practical, measurable, logical. But something was still missing.

The Missing Ingredient

Then it hit us—the secret sauce that transforms ordinary classroom interactions into life-changing moments. Magic.

Not Harry Potter magic, but something far more profound. Those moments when a struggling student suddenly grasps a concept that will transform their career. When a class discussion sparks an insight that changes someone's entire worldview. When hearts and minds connect in ways that feel divinely orchestrated.

Here's what I discovered: If you weren't there, you missed the magic. You couldn't make it up with extra credit or by reading someone's notes. As Heraclitus said, "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river, and he is not the same man."

The Divine Appointment

Friends, I need to tell you something. In 2001, I was spiritually asleep. I called myself a Christian, but I was colder than lukewarm. I wasn't going to church. I hadn't even read the entire Bible. I was going through the motions of faith while missing the very presence of God in my everyday life.

But God had other plans. What I was calling "magic" in that coffee shop conversation was actually something much more wonderful—divine appointments. God was showing up in ordinary classrooms, using ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.

Every time a student's eyes lit up with understanding, God was there. Every meaningful conversation, every moment of breakthrough, every connection that seemed too perfect to be coincidence—these weren't accidents. They were appointments scheduled by the Creator of the universe.

Here's what I've come to understand: God wastes nothing. All my passion for seeing my students succeed, every skill I developed as a professor and counselor, and every moment of joy I felt when I said "I have the best job on the planet!"—God was preparing me for something even greater. He was building a bridge between who I was and who He was calling me to become.

The first step across that bridge was no less important to God than the steps I take now as I follow Him with trust and obedience. But friends, I have to say—the peace, joy, and contentment I feel now in doing God's work surpasses anything I ever experienced before. And that's saying something, because I genuinely loved what I was doing as a professor.

Wake Up to Your Divine Appointments

Here's what I want you to understand: God is scheduling divine appointments in your life right now. Whether you're at work, at home, in line at the grocery store, or reading this post—God is orchestrating moments of connection, growth, and purpose that you might be missing.

If you're a seeker, wondering if God is real or if He cares about your life, pay attention to the "magic" moments around you. Those aren't coincidences. That's God calling out to you, just as He promised through the prophet Jeremiah:

 "Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you great and hidden things that you have not known" Jeremiah 33:3.

If you're a lukewarm Christian like I was, wake up! God isn't waiting for you to get your act together before He starts using you. He's already been preparing you through every experience, every skill, every passion you've developed. The narrow bridge between where you were and where He's calling you isn't about abandoning your past—it's about surrendering it to His purposes.

Sometimes I feel that holy discontent, thinking, "I could have, should have been working for Him all along." But then I remember: God was working through me even when I wasn't fully awake to His purposes. Now, with eyes wide open, I get to experience the joy of consciously partnering with Him in His kingdom work. I tell ya, Mister Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland was nothing compared to God's adventures!

Don't Miss the Magic

The enemy of our souls wants us to believe that life is random, that our daily interactions don't matter, that we're just going through the motions until something "big" happens. But that's a lie from the pit of hell!

God is in the details. He's in the coffee shop conversations, the classroom moments, the chance encounters that don't feel like chance at all. He's leading us on a wild adventure of purpose that's far more exhilarating and meaningful than we can imagine.

Your Fork in the Road

So here's your fork in the road moment. You can keep sleepwalking through life, treating each day as a series of random events and obligations. Or you can wake up to the reality that the God of the universe has placed you exactly where you are for such a time as this.

Every person you meet, every conversation you have, every opportunity that comes your way—these are potential divine appointments. God is scheduling moments where His kingdom can break through into ordinary life in extraordinary ways.

The question isn't really "Why are we here?" The question is: "Now that we know why we're here, what are we going to do about it?"

Don't miss the magic, friends. Your divine appointments are waiting.

What divine appointments has God been scheduling in your life that you might have missed? I'd love to hear your stories—share them in the comments below or reach out to me directly. Let's encourage each other to stay awake to God's presence in our everyday moments.

Related "Start Here" Posts:

• Why Church Hopping Isn't Backsliding: 3 Models to Find Your Fit

• Leaving Church Without Leaving Faith: From Hopper to Pilgrim

--- *Trace Pirtle is a retired university professor, pilgrim blogger, and founder of Faith in Action Ministry, Texas Hill Country. He writes for Christians who refuse to settle for Sunday morning faith while prayer-walking the narrow path in Kerrville, Texas. Welcome home, pilgrim.