What's the meaning of life?

What's the true meaning of life? Sometimes it's hard to understand the point of living in such a messed up world. Why do we have to get up each morning? Will we ever find real satisfaction and fulfillment in life? Are our lives significant in the scheme of things?

Short answer? You were uniquely and lovingly made by the Creator of the Universe, and your life has important purposes and great meaning.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." —Ephesians 2:10

The fact that you're asking yourself what the meaning of life is puts you ahead of a lot of people. Many grown adults look back on their lives and wonder why everything has fallen apart, why their relationships are shallow and meaningless, why their families are shells of happiness on the outside but filled with hurt on the inside.

Money may buy lots of stuff, but stuff can only make a person happy for so long. When most people get to the top of their game, having checked off all their goals, they find out there's nothing left and ask themselves, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"More" is Meaningless

Many cultures are focused on attaining MORE. More money. More stuff. More friends. More love. More success. More instantaneous, blindingly beautiful "happiness." The world is totally buying into the idea that MORE [fill in the blank] = MORE meaning. If we could only DO enough, be enough, achieve enough, then our lives might be worth something. But how much is going to be enough?

If we really look around at our "stuff," we can recognize that there's no meaning in those things. In the Bible, there's a book written by King Solomon, a man who had everything. He was the richest person in the world—gifted with incredible intelligence, palaces and gardens that were the envy of all, the tastiest food, the most potent wine, not to mention hundreds of women who loved and adored him. Yet in Ecclesiastes 1:2, this poor king says, "Meaningless! Meaningless! ...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."

Missing Meaning

If we allow ourselves to just living in those moments—whether achievements or failures, miserable or magnificent—it'll be hard to see past our current agonies or triumphs and into an eternal reality. But God created us for a purpose that goes far beyond anything we can even imagine here on earth.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." —Ecclesiastes 3:11

Since all humans are God's creations, we inherently know that there's something beyond us, bigger than us (Romans 1:20). Even an atheist will long for some kind of meaning in their life. Those who don't know God will desperately seek fulfillment in whatever might make the emptiness go away—even if it's only temporary. The problem is that, without God, finding true joy and meaning will always feel just out of reach.

Made for Meaning

Human beings started out more like God than any other lifeform on the planet (Genesis 1:26). Because of that, the following became true:

1. We are social creatures (Genesis 2:18-25).
2. We have a desire to do something good and productive with our lives (Genesis 2:15).
3. We want to connect with Someone bigger than us (Genesis 3:8).
4. We are in charge of taking care of the earth (Genesis 1:26).

God intended for us to be fulfilled by these things. The overall purpose of humanity is to be with each other, to do good things, to love God, and to be responsible for Creation.

Meaning Lost & Found

Everything was clear at first, but when sin came into the picture, we got confused (Genesis 3). Why should I be around people? What was I supposed to be working toward? Where is that bigger Someone again? Is He even there? I have better things to do than take care of this place. I'll figure it out later...

We'd forgotten what we were made for.

Thankfully, God loves us enough to help us rediscover that meaning and satisfaction our hearts yearn for. Where to start? Get back in touch with that Someone bigger than us.

Because of God's great love for us, He sent His Son Jesus to earth to take the form of a human—just like us (John 1:14). That way, Jesus would have a chance to live on this planet like every other person would. Only He knew how to make all the right choices and never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).

As a perfect human, Jesus was qualified to give His life as a sacrificial replacement for each one of us—for YOU, for ME. We've all sinned against God and deserve a sentence of eternal punishment (Romans 3:23). But Jesus took care of that for you. He paid for your freedom with His life, then came back to life, having defeated sin and death (Acts 4:12; John 1:12; 14:6).

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." —1 Corinthians 15:56-57

Shiny New Meaning

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." —2 Corinthians 5:17

Once you have accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus, you become a shiny new creation. As you learn to live your life for God, spend time with Him by talking to Him and reading His Word, you'll find yourself changing from the inside out. That's the Holy Spirit at work in you, giving you direction, hope, and purpose.

To be real though, life after salvation doesn't automatically get "better." We'll still have to wake up in the morning—perhaps to unpleasant living conditions, toxic relationships, a terrible job, bullies, etc. Well, here's what Jesus said about living your life for Him:

Dear [your name],

Come to me if you are tired and overstressed, and I will give you rest. Take my hand and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find comfort for your soul. I have come to give you a life worth living so that you will be fulfilled.

But if you come with me, you must deny your own plans; allow me to lead you in a better direction. If you try to save your life on your own, you will lose it. But if you surrender your sinful impulses, you will find a wonderful new life that you can never lose. Find your joy in following Me, and I will give you the desires of your heart.

—Jesus

[Scripture Used: Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:10b; Matthew 16:24-25; Psalm 37:4]

Choose a Meaningful Life

"Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." —Romans 6:22-23

God created us with free will, so we have a choice in whether we follow Him or reject Him. If we keep struggling to find our own way, we'll only find emptiness. But if we choose to let God take our hand and lead us down HIS path, we'll find a life full of true meaning and purpose that fills us with true joy, contentment, and satisfaction.

Your Creator wants to give you the most fulfilling life possible. That doesn't mean that life is going to be all sunshine, but it does mean that when it rains, you won't be alone. There will be a good reason to get up every morning. There will be good reasons to face every challenge with confidence that God is right there with you.

If you are willing to surrender your life to Jesus and follow His purpose for your life, then you can discover a life worth living. You can look in the mirror every day and know that an amazing adventure awaits this person—one that has a good and meaningful end.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." —Lamentations 3:22-23