“For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?” – Ecclesiastes 6:12 (NIV).
Let’s be honest. Life without purpose can certainly feel empty. I believe that with all my heart. Maybe you’ve felt that weight, too?
Dr. Viktor E. Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist who survived Nazi concentration camps. He wrote a powerful book called “Man’s Search for Meaning.” In it, he makes two unforgettable statements:
- “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear almost any ‘how’.”
- “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”
Think about those statements. They come from someone who endured the horrors of Auschwitz. He’s not just making a point. Unquestionably, he’s also speaking from the depths of suffering. He’s saying that if you know your purpose, you can get through anything.
So, what is our purpose? Is it just to make money? Maybe own a lovely home? Possibly build a career as well as enjoy retirement? No. Without question, God created us for something far greater. We are to know Him, glorify Him, and prepare for eternity.
Why Did God Create You?
You might ask yourself that very question. Let me give you three powerful reasons straight from Scripture:
- First of all, God created you for His pleasure.
God didn’t need to create you. He wanted to. Just like a father looks at his newborn baby and says, “I love him because he’s mine.” The Lord always delights in you simply because you are His.
“The Lord takes pleasure in His people.” – Psalm 149:4
- Secondly, God created you to glorify Him.
The more you know God, the more your life reflects His holiness. This includes all your thoughts, words, and love. Everything can be a mirror that points others to Him.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31
- Thirdly, He created you to live forever.
This life is absolutely not all there is. We’re just in the warm-up, the dress rehearsal. It’s the first chapter in a story that never ends.
“He has set eternity in the human heart.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
What Now?
Since God obviously has a purpose for your life, how will you live today differently? For example, what can you do this week to glorify Him? Are you living like this life is all there is—or like eternity is real?
He specifically made you on purpose, for a purpose. Live like it.
With joy and purpose,
Posted in A Word from the Pastor