The Importance of Purpose in Life

A long time ago, someone express his opinion to me that life will be easier for a woman if she has no life dream. After several months of trying his suggestion, I slowly became more depressed. Then, I decided to go back to my dream.

Lately, I am reading about how important having a purpose in life is [1]. It is one of the human fundamental needs. Life purpose helps in overcoming stress, depression, anxiety, pain, and many others.

Life's purpose can be to survive, to feed someone, to reach something, to serve something or someone, to love someone, to experience something, to support someone else's vision, and many others. Lately, I came across an interesting story about a journey of a character in finding her life purpose, which is not to become like her teacher [2]. 

In Christianity, life's purpose is often connected with God's calling. If life's purpose is so important, why God did not just tell everyone directly. It is never easy to answer the question of "Why is has God made me?" or "Why I am here?". God has a plan for everyone:

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jer 29:11 (NIV)

He wants us to depend and trust on Him both to understand his calling and to know all the details to achieve it. Keep walk step by step with Him. In the case regarding your calling, you did something wrong, please keep allow God to guide you.

[1] Schippers and Ziegler, "Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life," Frontiers in Psychology, 2019.

[2] Kung Fu Panda Secret of the Scroll, DreamWorks.

The Struggle against Sin (Romans 7)

I was reading the bible about faith (Heb 11), holiness (1 Pet 1), and love (1 Cor 13). I was thinking very hard about how it is possible to meet all those standards at the same time. Even though I spent a long time praying and bible-reading, it feels very difficult. This reminds me of Romans 7:

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. - Rom 7:14-20 (NIV)

Even tough I know that theoretically the answer lies on Romans 8, I was struggling very hard. It feels like I am 'beating myself' because I keep failing. I realized that only God can change me:

I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. - Jer 31:33b (NIV)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. - Eze 36:27a (NIV)

If this struggle happens to you, keep praying, keep asking God to change you, and believe that this is possible. God knows how and when to change your heart. He will never ignore a thirsty heart:

Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. - John 7:37b-38 & Heb 8:10b (NIV)

Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. - Rev 22:17b (NIV)

I believe that flows of living water (Holy Spirit) will able to change our hearts. 

Know the LORD

No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD (Jeremiah 31:34)

Try to imagine the person that understands or knows you the most. Is that the one that holds all of your personal data? Is that the one that follows all of your works or accomplishments? Is that the one that always protects you? Or is that the person that shares all of your feeling and desire?

So, how well you understand God? How well do you feel what He feel? How well do you desire what He desires? I believe only God can make our heart to understand Him.