What’s the point?
If you are anything like me—human—you have asked yourself that question a million times and a million others questions like it: What’s the point of all this? What really matters? Why am I here? Do I have a purpose? How do I know what it is? If God promises to give direction to those who ask, why do I still have no idea what to do? If we have such an important purpose why do we all just going through the motions of everyday life?
To be honest, I have no clue why God set up this world the way he did-and I’m not sure I’ll ever completely understand, at least in this lifetime. It’s actually kind of funny that I am writing this article because I am one of the most confused people I know when it comes to figuring out direction and purpose of life. I’ve spent many nights lying awake in bed, overwhelmed and freaked out by these questions I can’t answer. Yet, through my confused pursuit, the Lord has taught me a few simple things and although there are a lot of questions I can’t answer, there are a few important ones that I can.
Where do I find the answers?
God! Our questions are not too big for God. God desires us to know him. He is not offended by our questions. To know someone means to find out all you can about them. It means asking questions. God is able to handle ANY question we ask. And he will give us answers, but it’s not always in the time frame we desire.
God also does not want us to be confused or directionless. Paul writes, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33) He wants us to come to Him. “Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will open.” He is our only hope for making the right decisions in life and living a life of purpose and meaning. To know him, seek after him! Becoming more like him will not only give you answers to life’s toughest questions but it will also prevent you from living a wasted life.
The times I get confused the most is when I forget that God is the one with all the answers. I forget that God is a God that I love and trust. I will quickly forget what is true about God when I sense God is under attack either by my own thinking or others’ influence. I forget that He is love, everything He does is perfect, that what he says is always true, and that he always has my best interest in mind. If something comes up that seems contradictory, I have to remember that I am the one with the limited viewpoint, not him.
So what’s important? How do I live purposefully?
So if God has all the answers, how do I know what he wants me to do? God has already told us what is important and what we should do. In his Word he has told us the keys to purposeful living. Throughout his word he has revealed his plans for us. He has given us something to live for, something to give all of ourselves to.
There is something about our human nature that doesn’t want to believe, and we complicate the simple truths communicated in the Word. We want to make up our own “right” way. We want to decide what rules we ought to follow to make us “good” and then struggle to do them. Our rules tend to be much more complicated and hard to follow than what the Lord intended. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28
When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment of all the law (basically, out of everything you have said what is most important?), Jesus replied, “Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mathew 22:37) Through this statement Jesus blew away their ideas of what was “good” or what they should put their time, energy, and resources into. Before he came to earth they were focused on their actions…a list of do’s and don’ts. They were trying to please God and save themselves by following a list of rules. Jesus was saying that the most important thing is something you can’t do by yourself or check off any list. He was saying that the greatest thing you can do is put all of you into loving Him and others.
Loving God with your heart, mind, soul, and strength is your purpose. It defines all you do, it’s shown in all you do. God does not expect us to find the perfect ministry, vocation, or calling and then save the world. He wants you to love him and trust him-and your actions will be a reflection of that. Living a purposeful life is loving God and relying on him in and for all the things (your thoughts, actions, possessions, and talents) that make up the minutes, hours, days, and years of your life!
There is no quick answer
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not trying to give a quick answer to this huge question. I am actually trying to encourage you that there is no quick answer. You probably won’t suddenly wake up feeling like you have found the meaning of life. Life finds it’s meaning when you realize that nothing will bring satisfaction, joy, and contentment apart from the Lord. And no improvements you try to make apart from God will be lasting. You must also know that to love the Lord with your life may mean that you never know or see how God is using you and may seem like it never results in anything big. But by trusting God-the one who made everything and knows all things-you can be assured that you haven’t wasted your life.
“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep waters. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
“You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
“The Lord is pleased with those who worship him and trust his love.” (Psalm 147:11)
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
“…we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1: 9-12)