We don’t spend much time thinking about the meaning of life or even rating our life until we hit a snag or a bump along the way. When our bubble bursts, we find the ultimate questions of life staring us down. The inner void becomes a chamber of persistent thoughts that trouble us. People think of this as the spiritual side of their life.
Before showing you the survey results of a similar question asked to people in Ethiopia, how would you rate your life? On a scale of 0 to 10, with ten being the best life possible, on which step of the ladder are you today?
One hundred and twenty million people live in Ethiopia. Sadly, this isn’t the first time Ethiopians have experienced various degrees of food insecurity ranging from hunger to starvation. Their situation has been compounded by war, Covid-19 and escalating food prices. Here is a quote from a Gallup report:
Ethiopians’ Ratings of Their Lives Continue to Fall – from Gallup
Although Ethiopians have rated their present lives lower than the global average for the past decade, their evaluations have dropped dramatically since 2020.
When asked to rate their lives today on a scale of 0 to 10, Ethiopians’ average rating dropped from 4.5 in 2020 to just 3.6 today, the lowest rating since Gallup began tracking this metric in Ethiopia in 2012.
Most reading this post are not facing starvation or fearing for their lives due to war or violence. But yet, you may not rate your satisfaction with life any higher than those who are in physical danger. Why is that?
Why do people who have known great success still experience an inner void and loneliness? When stars retire from their sport – why do they suddenly wonder what life is all about? When the ‘thing’ that defined their life is in their rearview mirror, why do they feel vulnerable and uncertain about the future? Why do they experience restlessness and long for inner peace?
If this is as good as life gets, are you hoping the rest of your life will be more of the same or are you hoping to eventually find something that will anchor you to a more solid source of satisfaction and peace?
The issue is a spiritual one, and the Bible has some authoritative insights that should not be overlooked.
Life is Brief
The Bible illustrates the brevity of life in various ways. Here is one:
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:13-14
This life is like the backstage dressing room before the curtain lifts, and you appear on the eternal stage. Are you ready?
For thousands who had plans for tomorrow and beyond, today will suddenly be their very last day.
Life has Purpose
Yes, there is a purpose beyond procreation, survival and leveraging your potential for good and self-satisfaction.
Unfortunately, many fail to realize that we are all uniquely hardwired to enjoy an intelligent and fulfilling vertical connection with God – their Creator. No one can achieve real fulfillment or true satisfaction in life if they settle for anything less than that.
Your phone may be the newest and the best on the market. But if you only use it as a calculator rather than a communication device – what a waste! The calculator may perform some incredibly complex equations and produce numbers in the trillions. Kudos for that – but what a waste when the primary purpose of the communication device is missed completely.
Why do celebrities who have been defined by their career often sense an unravelling of their life – a certain lostness after their fame has peaked? Why? Because their life revolved around a purpose inferior to the capacity and potential with which God honoured them in His original design.
Michael Jordan – Your Best Days May Be Ahead
The Bible teaches that humans were designed to be the image-bearers of God. But we are broken and incapacitated by sin. In the opening chapter of the Bible, we learn that we are distinct from the rest of creation. (Genesis 1:26-27)
God uniquely honoured humans with the greatest capacity of all – to enjoy intimacy, fellowship and communion with Himself. Everything we achieve that is lower or less than that is ultimately unfulfilling and unsatisfying.
It isn’t easy to look in the mirror and be truthful about ourselves.
“I am a sinner. I have fallen short of God’s standard. (Romans 3:23) I am broken and estranged from God, my Creator, because of my sin. I am living my life for myself, with God on the outside. Deep down – I am lost.”
That’s a hard reality to face, but when you do – it will be the most significant turning point ever in your life. In the Bible, it is called repentance.
Jesus said: “Except you repent, you will … perish.” Luke 13:3
Regardless of who you are, how you live or what is in your past, God values you. He loves you, and His original purpose for you has never changed. God does not want you to remain the way you are – estranged from Him.
Do you show contempt for the riches of His [God’s] kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4
Through Jesus Christ – His death for your sins, His burial and His resurrection, God has made it possible for you to be fully reconciled to Him.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God… 1Peter 3:18
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Imagine living the rest of your life in harmony with God, enjoying communion with Him and fulfilling His purpose for your life. Anything less than that results in a low rating of one’s life.
You will never know your real purpose and never have real peace until you know God.
Life is Consequential
Finally, your life is far more consequential than you even imagine. There are many consequences for choices we make in life that will never impact our destiny. Good choices may position us to enjoy some nice things in this life. Poor choices will bring regret and even remorse in this life. But in view of God’s ultimate purpose for your life, the choice you make in this life concerning God and His Son, Jesus Christ, will determine your eternal destiny. There’s nothing more consequential than that!
To pray for someone’s eternal rest after they have died is a wasted prayer. If the person died without consciously embracing Christ as their Saviour in their lifetime – there is not the slightest chance they will be with God after they die. To live without God and to die without God is to spend eternity without God.
Appeal to You
It is time for you to reflect on your life and to think about God. You aren’t ready to live until you are ready to die. You could know Christ as your Saviour today and, finally, be at peace with God. That’s when you will experience permanent peace, lasting contentment, fulfillment and eternal life.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
