Let me ask you a simple question: What’s the meaning of life? Or, better yet, how do you find meaning in life? I couldn’t come up with an answer that didn’t relate to God. With these questions bombarding my mind, I resorted to my dad. “Dad,” I texted, “what is the meaning to life?” Never will I forget these wise words: “IDK. Google it.” So that’s exactly what I did! I came to find most of the results were from faith-based websites. Not to make things so black and white, but there’s only one reason to life: to bring glory to God. I collected my five favorite Bible verses that help explain the purpose of life.
1 Corinthians 10:31
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God.”
This one hit me deep. I spent countless hours and had numerous breakdowns over my purpose in life, specifically my career. I prayed every night for an answer of what I’m supposed to be in this world. After reading this verse, I realized knowing my career path isn’t that important. Whatever I end up doing, if I do it for the glory of God, then I will feel fulfilled. He’s the only one I need to please. He has greater plans for me than I could ever imagine. Some other verses that mention bringing glory to God: Isaiah 43:7, 42:12, 2 Corinthians 4:15.
Luke 12:15
“And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”
I like this one. It’s so easy to get caught up in clothes or shoes or the size of your house. It may seem straight-forward, but you will not find fulfillment in material objects. You will still feel empty if all you have are your possessions; God is the only one who can fill that void. Don’t put your phone or car before God; this will result in emptiness.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
“The end of matter: all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
To fear God does not mean to be afraid of Him. To fear God means you highly respect and honor Him. To keep His commandments means we are to read and obey God’s word, a.k.a. the Bible. It clearly states, “This is the whole duty of man.” It seems straightforward and simple until you realize how much our duty calls for. But once you do follow Jesus, you will find complete fulfillment. Joshua 1:8 talks about reading the Bible.
Philippians 2:4
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
This ties in with the previous verse. To follow Jesus means doing like He did. Jesus always put others first, something I think today’s society struggles with. As much as we like to be the center of attention, we need to help others with their lives. I remember one of my professors sharing a story of how she saw an elderly lady struggling to carry her grocery bags. She was in a time crunch but she knew the right thing to do was to help her. After helping the old lady, my professor didn’t get a trophy or her picture taken, but she left feeling fulfilled. It’s easy to get caught up in our own lives, but it’s much more rewarding to go out of our way to make someone’s day better.
Matthew 10:39
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
This one’s tricky. If you think you have found your life in this world, meaning you enjoy what the world has to offer, then you will die. But, if you lose your life, meaning you give up things you love in order to follow Jesus, then you will find life. As a college student, I think a relevant example is giving up sexual relations with a significant other or even with a stranger. You will find life is so much more than a ten-minute hookup. Jesus is asking you to give up these temporary satisfactions for eternal fulfillment with Him.
Congrats if you stuck around this long! If you’re still having trouble finding purpose in life, I encourage you to read the Bible and pray. Get involved with people who know God and ask them to pray for you. Remember, God works on His time. Stay patient and consistent and He will open new doors for you. If you didn’t catch on, I focused on emphasizing fulfillment. To fulfill means to achieve, to satisfy. It’s great to live a happy life, but it’s even greater to live a fulfilled life.
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