The purpose of the present never presents itself in the present. What we do now—what we go through, what we experience, what we witness, what avenues we pave—always achieves some purpose that we can’t see in the here and now. So, never judge the present according to the present. If you do, you will always be confused and frustrated.
One of the best ways through the quagmire of the present is to look for what you learn—how you grow as a person. Learning things, witnessing the unthinkable, gaining skills, going places—these prepare us. That’s worthwhile enough.