What is the purpose and meaning of life?
We often hear this question asked by many people and also in some cases we tend to ask this question ourselves. In seeking the meaning of our existence, we seek the answers in the jobs that we do or the material things we hold so dare to. For some of us, we choose to explore the world in order to seek our inner purpose. But we are still left to be truly satisfied with what we are or what we have. As said in Ecclesiastes 1:2, its could seem like life in itself is all vanity, with no meaning or point to it.
But with God we have a purpose, created in His image and likeness; God placed a meaning in each of our lives. We sometimes occupy ourselves to pursue the things of this world without ever realising that our lives hold more greater meaning than that which we possess.
Now that we know there is meaning to the life we live and only through God can we find true satisfaction and purpose; How do we go about living the purpose filled life? Here are 8 biblical ways to live the life God has giving to us:
1) Never Hate
Hate stirs up trouble, but love forgives all offenses (Proverbs 10:12)
We live in a world where the motto is if your neighbour strikes you, you strike them back without hesitation. History has showed this with wars between nations, the rise of terrorism and rise of extremist views. When Paul writes in Galatians 5:14 “that we should love our neighbour as ourselves”; what does this really entail?
For the opposite of love is hate and where there is hate, love cannot exist. God is calling us to never hate in this life because with hatred in the heart, there will be darkness in the life we live. The presence of Gods Love can only be fruitful when love shines through and through in our heart.
As Martin Luther King Jr perfectly said; “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”
2) Don’t Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25)
Worrying is one of the greatest temptation we all face in life. We range it from little worries like ‘how am I going to pay for next month bills’ to bigger worries like ‘where is my life heading to’. When we worry, we put whatever we are worrying about above God and make it god over our lives as it dictate our joy and peace.
When Jesus said “do not be anxious about your life”, He is talking about everything that troubles us on a day-to-day basis. He continues in Matthew 6:26 saying “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”.
Jesus is aware that we will need and want certain things in life but He is also reminding us of who we are. If the birds which we have dominion over are still being fed by God without reaping nor sowing, how much more is God’s love for us and care for the things we need in this life?
We are His Children and we are created with purpose; God knows the things of the world and He is more than able to provide for them all. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:25-34).
3) Live Simply
“How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24-25)
We live in a society where money seems to be the driving force for our way of thinking. Big corporations doing all they can to surpass sales targets and for some of us, we live for the money and store up our riches on earthly things. Lets be aware that when we focus on earthly wealth and riches, we divert our attention from God and put our focus on pleasing our wealths.
Now don’t get me wrong it okay to have money and to work hard for it. For to be lazy results to poverty, but the hands of the diligent makes rich (Proverbs 4:5). What isn’t okay is for money to have possession over us and dictate the way we live our lives. When this happens, we wander away from our faith (1 Timothy 6:10) as we lose sight of what God’s purpose is for us.
Now the question to ask yourself is this: am I eager to gain all the riches this world has to offer but as a result loss my faith?
Let us be encouraged to live a life that is simple; free from the love of money and being content with the blessing God has given to us.
4) Expect a little
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:35-36).
When we do good or do a favour for someone, we usually hold on to the hope that we get the favour returned back to us or a simple ‘thank you’ for the kindness we have shown. When we do this, we don’t deny showing love but what we do is that we put a condition on the kindness and love we show to others. We scratch the back of others with the expectation that our back should be scratched too.
This is not how God has called us to live like. We are called to show kindness and love unconditionally. Just as God’s Grace is an undeserved gift to us, so are we called to show love and kindness without expecting anything in return. And when this is done, we are promised to be rewarded by God.
5) Give a lot
I have shown you in every way, by labouring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)
This follows on from point 4 in that God is calling us to be givers for its a blessing to give than to receive. When we focus our lives to giving, we are putting to action one of the important part of the nature of God. For He gave His only son to die for our sins and to save us so that we can have eternal life (John 3:16). God didn’t have to give Jesus to take our place on the cross, but He chose to and this is because of the love He has for us.
When we give to others, do we voluntarily choose to give or reluctantly give because we have to? God wants us to live a life of giving as this embodies His Love for us. When we give, we are to do it with a heart to serve others in love and to provide for those who are lacking.
6) Always Smile
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11)
Paul mentions in the book of Galatians 5:22-23 the fruits of the spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This are important attributes to have for us to live a life in line with God’s purpose.
Looking specifically at having the spirit of Joy, God love for us refills the joy in our heart that can never be compared to the joy the world gives. What are the steps required for you to always remain in the joy of The Lord? Are there things in your life right now that are stopping you from always being joyful in God? Let be reminded of God’s promises that He will never leave us nor forasake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). Lets also be encouraged to always have a smile on your face no matter what situation you encounter. Be it good or bad, let the joy of The Lord be your strength.
7) Live with Love
Love is more than attraction and more than arousal. Love is not a feeling, but a doing word. Love can produce emotions but it is not an emotion on its own. The Bible says let’s not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in action (1 John 3:18)
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoice with the truth. Love bears all things, believe all things, hope all things, endues all things, Love never ends.
Jesus greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). And His second commandment is, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. We can only reach this level of love through prayer, worship and observing God’s faithfulness towards us. Lets be encouraged to demonstrate our love for God by showing love to others, even our enemy. Let’s our action speak of God’s Love.
8) Be With God
One thing have I asked of the Lord , that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4)
The best is saved for the last as this the most important of them all. Without this, it’s impossible to fulfil the others as it’s only through being with God do we have the required Love in our Heart to never hate, not to worry, to live simply, to expect a little, to give a lot, to always smile and to live with love.
How do we then go about being with God? Let’s be encouraged to seek after Him with all our hearts. As David best puts it in the book of Psalm; “one thing have I asked of The Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life”
What house do you dwell in? Do you inquire in God’s temple for all the days of your life?
This is an important Psalm for us to be able to see the posture we are to take when it comes to seeking God. When we seek God with all that we are, our life will start to become clearer just like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day (Proverbs 4:18).
