20:23-24 A Purpose-filled Life A strong sense of his life’s purpose empowered Paul to press on in the face of impending suffering. Even though he knew it would involve much pain and difficulty, he pushed forward toward the goal of finishing the work “assigned” to him—namely, telling others, especially Gentiles, about the grace of God. When we recall that our primary calling in life is to glorify God, we can find the strength to persevere in the midst of our sufferings.