What do you live for?

Earlier today, a close friend asked me, "What do you live for?"
The following is my reply:

To my dearly loved brother :)
So my answer is pretty simple: I live for Jesus :) Sounds a bit cheesy, but I'll unpack it a bit for you.

I am glad you notice that ordinary life is not very satisfactory. You chase after many things and experiences in your life and, while I cannot read your mind, the fact that you keep chasing after new things tell me you aren't very satisfied. That is good, because a lot of people delude themselves with the chase, thinking that so long as they are pursuing something they're getting somewhere, and don't realise until it's too late in life that they're just "chasing after the wind". (Which is what the entire book of Ecclesiastes is about; Solomon says, "been there, done that, it's all pointless")

The meaning of life for you is rooted in what your worldview is; what you believe about the World, its origins and purpose tells you what your place in the "Grand Scheme" is.

For me, I believe that the Christian God is the Creator of all things, and gets the last say on how things should go. I believe that Jesus died to save me and to purify me from my sinfulness. I believe that Jesus gave His life for me, so that I can live a better life for Him. ("You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body."(1 Corinthians 6:19-20))

And so I believe that I live for Jesus. "And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus," (Colossians 3:17). Jesus dictates what I do with my life. When I was choosing my career, I was asking, "Is this what Jesus wants me to do?; when I bought my house, "Jesus, is this where you want me to live?"; when I go to play volleyball, "Jesus, are these the people you want me to connect with?"

And I find this incredibly empowering. It fills my life with Eternal purpose. I know that the things that I do for Jesus will have Eternal consequences; I know that NOTHING I sacrifice for Him is wasted. I also know that if I do things this way, I will be doing things as I have been originally created for; God knows how I work even better than myself, and He will know best how to use me most effectively.

The closer I get to Jesus, the more in love with Him I get, the more passionate I am about what He is passionate about: getting people to know about how much He loves them! And so just as you have so much passion for volleyball, I have so much passion to work out how to get people to know His love more. I live and breathe it; it's what gets me up in the morning and gives me energy to go to work. It dictates where I spend my time, how I spend my money, how I open up my house, who I spend time with.

When my Depression was at its darkest, this was what kept me from killing myself. I would much rather be done with earthly life and be with Jesus, but I know He has a mission for me, and would like me to complete it first before I go back to Him. I could totally echo Paul's words when he said, "For me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ—which is far better— but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that, because of me, your confidence may grow in Christ Jesus when I come to you again."

In contrast, I find that doing things without this Eternal perspective meaningless and pointless. Just think about it: When I heal someone through my medical arts, what's the point if they're going to die anyway? Someday they will, whether it's a year or a hundred from now. What's the point in building the grandest tower in the world when it will be forgotten a thousand years from now? What's the point of having the most exhilarating experience, when at the end of the day you're nothing more than dust?

As Pastor Mark Driscoll says: "The problem with atheistic evolution is if you come from no one and nowhere, and if you’re going to no one and nowhere, and you exist for no reason… life is altogether without purpose. Dawkins’ words: pessimistic, bleak, cold, and empty."

I once met a person who believed that life essentially has no meaning, and we just have to accept that. I am so very glad I do not share his worldview, and that life is so much more warm and rich for me. I hope and pray that you do not decide to be satisfied with a meaningless life.

Keep asking the good questions. Keep searching, and do not be satisfied with second-best. Live a purposeful life, and don't just chase the wind :)

My answer is Christ. And I hope and pray that can be your answer too, in the future.

With much love :)
Vincent