Finding Meaning in Life
If you’ve ever had those moments when you throw up your hands and question, “Why am I doing this?”, you’re not alone.
I’m not talking about those moments when you forget what you’re doing …
- “Why did I come into this room?”
… or question your sanity.
- “Why am I arguing with a three-year-old over the merits of Batman over Spiderman?”
- “Why did I waste two hours of my life watching an Elvis movie?”
I’m referring to those moments when you question the whole point of … well, everything. If that’s you, you’re not alone.
Pondering the meaning of life increased when we hit the global pandemic just a few years ago. Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said: “A large majority still lean toward there being an ultimate purpose for a person’s life, but instead of escaping the pandemic with thoughts of something greater, far fewer strongly hold such a view. A growing number of Americans have become open to the idea that this might be as good as it gets.”
“This might be as good as it gets.” What a sad conclusion. That reminds me of the oft-quoted sentiment:
“Life is hard. Then you die.”
This viewpoint is not simply the result of the way life is these days. Humanity throughout the ages has struggled with finding meaning. So much of religion and philosophy has been human attempts to give life meaning … or to explain why life is meaningless. But culture gets it wrong on both counts. Life can have meaning, but it doesn’t come from religion.
Meaning comes from God and a relationship with Him—and that has nothing to do with religion. Through religion, we attempt to reach God, but that is fruitless and futile. We can’t reach God. On our best days, we miss the mark of reaching God.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
But God has reached down to us. Jesus came to us, died to remove our sins, and gave us freedom and hope—eternal freedom and hope. And there is nothing meaningless or empty about that!
Apart from Jesus Christ, life is meaningless.
In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon kept repeating the idea that life is meaningless “under the sun.” Living life “under the sun” is to view life as if there is nothing “above the sun”—and that would be meaningless. But when we see things from a heavenly perspective—God’s perspective—we discover a God who creates with purpose. There is a plan to what He does, He has a purpose for us, and joy resides in finding our meaning in the One who created us in His image.
So much of life seems meaningless, but not from God’s perspective. I’m going to trust Him, follow Him wholeheartedly, and let Him work all things out in His time. As Solomon said,
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecc. 3:11).
Do you want purpose and meaning in your life? Trust Jesus. Follow Jesus. Serve Jesus. In Him, it all comes together.
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58).
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This post supports the study “Purpose Questioned” in Bible Studies for Life and YOU.
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