The Meaning of Life
Most people who reflect on the meaning of life are in a crisis of purpose, suffering and concluding that either it does not exist or that it is entirely subjective. For some, it is their profession; for others, environmental conservation, love, family, hobbies, or something else entirely. But can this truly be the meaning of life? Does it bring genuine happiness?
What is the Meaning of Life?
What remains of these aforementioned life goals—because that’s all they really are—when your time runs out, and your existence comes to an end? Nothing. It’s like chasing the wind. Within a few centuries, nothing will remain of your life’s goals, and no one will remember you. This cannot possibly be your purpose or the meaning of life. It won’t make you truly happy either.
You might object by saying that these pursuits at least bring momentary fulfillment and joy. This may be superficially true, but can fleeting moments of pleasure genuinely represent the meaning of life? Certainly not. If you consider how incredibly short-lived these moments of happiness are—already in the past before we can fully enjoy them—they cannot constitute life’s ultimate purpose. Thus, the question of meaning remains unanswered.
How long does the present moment last? It is infinitely short and intangible. As soon as you experience a happy moment, it’s over, becoming a part of your past, leaving you to anticipate the next moment of happiness still in the future. And as soon as you reach it, it too becomes the past, merely a pleasant memory. This is far from meaningful. Many people live from one weekend to the next, never realizing they are dreaming their lives away, leaving the question of meaning unresolved.
Time and the Meaning of Life
Do you see the issue with the question of the meaning of life? It is time itself that renders all we do ultimately meaningless. Sooner or later, everything achieved is merely a memory—no longer real. From this, it follows that the meaning of life must exist outside time and space. Before you dismiss this idea out of disappointment, listen to what I have to say. There is nothing more rational than believing in God, who created everything with a specific purpose: the true meaning of life.
The Purpose of Life
Our soul is the key to life’s meaning. The purpose of life, as established by God, extends far beyond our short, fleeting earthly existence. God designed this life as a school to prepare us as His children. Everything that happens to us in life serves the purpose of leading us to God, beginning with the realization that life here is unjust and seemingly meaningless. This understanding prompts reflection about oneself and God. We have the freedom to listen to Him. God helps us recognize our injustice and inability to stand before a just God. When we acknowledge and accept this truth and ask God for forgiveness, we become His children. He forgives our guilt and injustice. This, however, requires our willingness to live according to God’s rules—a point where many people decline, often without realizing what they are rejecting.
God Determines the Meaning of Life
If you accept the purpose of life as defined by God, your existence transforms from a meaningless struggle to a profoundly fulfilling one. Everything you do gains lasting, eternal significance because your life no longer ends with your earthly death. Instead, it truly begins then. Death becomes a final examination, after which you reap the fruits of a lifetime of preparation. This is where true fulfillment and the meaning of life lie. The question of purpose is answered, and the suffering ends as you find your calling and a new perspective. It is not humanity’s destiny to live in a perpetual crisis of purpose until death.
The meaning of life is to learn, through life’s circumstances, how to behave as a child of God. Why is this important? Quite simply, when you turn to God, He becomes your Father, and as His child, He entrusts you with a significant role in His eternal, timeless, and imperishable kingdom. The importance and honor of your role in God’s kingdom depend solely on how well you learn and pass life’s trials here. If you repeatedly fail these tests by focusing on earthly rather than eternal life, you remain a child of God but will be entrusted with less significant roles in eternity. Conversely, dedicating your life entirely to God ensures great heavenly rewards—ones that will never fade or lose value. Only in this brief earthly life can you shape your eternal destiny with God. Once this life ends, nothing can be changed.
God has placed eternity in our hearts. Deep down, we know God exists, that we are accountable to Him, and that we are eternal beings.
God’s Existence
If you reject God, you are not His child, and He has not forgiven your guilt and injustice. God never accepted you as His child. If you die in this state, you will face God alone and account for your actions, paying for them with your eternal life. For His children, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this Earth. He was the only person who never acted against God’s will and, therefore, the only one innocent before God. Jesus didn’t fear God’s judgment but willingly took upon Himself the guilt of all who believe in Him, enduring judgment on their behalf. He paid the debt of humanity, so everyone who believes in Him is no longer subject to God’s judgment but becomes a child of God. Therefore, believe in God and turn to Him.
