12 May | Youth
«The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.» Psalm 33:11
In every time and place, people have been troubled by the questions: “What is the purpose of life?” “Why am I here?” “Is this all?” These questions help us and give us a sense of direction in our existence. However, some answers do not always touch on life's deepest questions.
What happens when you think you have reached the top, as the world sees it? First, you discover that the top is unattainable; and that if it were not, it could not be maintained; and if it could, most of the time it would not be worth keeping.
Famous Christian counselor James Dobson says that, upon arriving at the university campus where he would pursue higher education, he came across the academic champions' tennis trophy. He decided he would engrave his name on that big trophy. And in fact, it had his name engraved on it twice. Fifteen years after he began his professional life, a friend found that engraved trophy behind the administration building, in a pile of rubble. This friend grabbed the trophy, took it home, cleaned it, and sent it to him. Of that achievement, Dr. Dobson said, “If life is kind to you, remember that all your trophies will be thrown in the trash one day.”
The greatest triumphs lose their luster over time. That is how life works. Your success will be erased from memories. This does not mean you should not try to achieve success, but you have to learn to ask yourself why it is important to you: “Are my trophies for me or for God?”
In a sense, there are two ways you can discover the purpose of your life: speculation and revelation. Speculation is when you spend your life following a hunch. It is an attempt to climb the steps of the ladder and discover, in the end, that the ladder was on the wrong wall. The other way to know your purpose is revelation. There is no one better than God, our Creator, to tell us what He has planned for our lives. Listen to what He has to say to you, and your life will be filled with happiness and purpose.