This is a question that every person will be confronted by at some point in their lives.
I went to a couple of funerals last week. While it is such a sad event and I sincerely am sorry for the loss of family and friends, I would dare say that I appreciate going to them as well for I am confronted by this question every time.
In Quora, many attempted to answer this ever-intriguing query.
Here are a few answers.
“You’re assuming there is a purpose. Why do you believe there has to be? It’s possible – indeed, quite likely – that life has no purpose at all, any more than rocks or hydrogen atoms have a purpose.” – Frank
“There is no purpose to life in general. Individual people can have a purpose. Perhaps animals can, but we don’t know.” – Peter
“There is no purpose to life in general. You have to create a purpose for yourself. This is the hardest question each of us asks in our life. “What is my purpose?” From that flows: “Who am I? What do I want? Where will I go? Do I matter?” It’s not easy. This essentially is “staring into the abyss.”
But He who created us didn’t design us without purpose. Even British philosopher and atheist Bertrand Russell said, “Unless you assume a God, the question of the purpose of life is meaningless.”
This means that if there’s no God, then there’s no grand scheme or significance to anything. You are a mere accident or a product of random choice. Thus, there is no right or wrong. If this is the case, why then ask the question of purpose?
But in Colossians 1:16, we are plainly told about what we were created to do.
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
All things were created BY Him, THROUGH Him and FOR Him.
You and I were created to bring Him glory.
This being said, we are to ask ourselves the question, “how then do I live my life in light of this?”
We are told that “whether we eat or drink, we do it for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This spills over our workplaces, campuses, neighborhoods, reunions, family gatherings and athletic events. You don’t have to be a pastor to give Him glory. You don’t need to be a worship leader to worship Him. And you don’t have to be a missionary to fulfill His calling in your life. You can give Him glory wherever you are and whatever you are doing at the moment.
And in view of what God has done through Christ, in view of God’s mercy, we now offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, our true and proper worship. (see Romans 12:1)
It is clear that the author is a data geek. I enjoy the way he writes
and organizes facts.