A recent survey of 1500 people in the UK showed 89% of 16-29-year-olds among them believing life lacks purpose or meaning. 55% of those over 60 years answered the same way. That’s a decent sized survey. It tells me that’s probably the percentage of all UK people in those age brackets at this point. The true disciples of Lenin and Marx would say their goals are on target then, with increased percentages expected over the next decade or so. People whose life lacks purpose or meaning have no God. Therefore, they have no assurance. People with no assurance have no hope. It’s not difficult then, to work out why suicide is rampant today.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good Psalm 14:1 NIV. The biblical meaning of fool in the context of this Scripture: ‘stupid, wicked, vile person’. Lenin and Marx were such fools. They were corrupt; their deeds were vile. By denying the existence of God and proclaiming it as such to the entire world, they became the ultimate fools. The same applies to their true disciples too, both then and now. What about the disciples of the true disciples? Does the same biblical meaning of fool apply to them? Not necessarily; there is a lessor meaning: ‘silly, dullard, simpleton, foolish, arrogant.’ People falling into this category don’t question what they hear. Like sheep, they go along with it; they don’t think for themselves.
Having said this, that is their accusation against against us who do believe in God though. Very quick are they to tell us it is we, “who are like sheep, unquestioningly going along with what the Bible says, being unable to think for yourself; believing in some imaginary friend!” So what should our response be to something like that? We can tell them our beliefs are written down for all to witness and are not subject to change. That’s why they’re open to ridicule and have been for at least 2000 years. Not so with theirs, which spares them from ridicule, but not from confusion, fear and the sense of hopelessness. These are the by-products of a life lacking purpose or meaning. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death Proverbs 14:12; 16:25.
Ignorance of God is most likely to be the primary cause for the younger people believing their lives lack purpose or meaning. That was my discovery when encountering multitudes of them in the late 1980’s, early 1990’s. Some among them wanted to know about God becoming a Man in Jesus Christ, plus His purpose for coming to earth and they thanked me for telling them, but most of them were not interested. Life at that time was meaningful and purposeful for them because of studies and apprenticeships and what have you; but where they are today with it all, only God knows. Many of them would well and truly be parents now. Those who listened might have something to pass on to their kids, but those who didn’t, probably not.
For those over 60 years old believing life lacks purpose or meaning, it’s more likely to be denial of God rather than ignorance of Him that brought this about. Why? For a large part the gospel of Christ was still faithfully and accurately preached in churches and taught in Sunday schools back then so there is less of an excuse for them to view life as such. Jesus knocked and they didn’t open the door. He kept knocking for a season, they refused to answer so He gave them over to their own desires. With others, He’s still knocking. He knows who will turn to Him, and who won’t! Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me Revelation 3:20.
Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, Truly, truly, (verily verily, most assuredly, I say to you, I guarantee) I am the door of the sheep John 10:7. How’s that for certainty! Jesus is the only way for everyone seeking God. Not believing this changes nothing; Again, I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved (delivered, protected, preserved, healed) and will go in and out and find pasture John 10:9. How’s that for assurance! A life of grand purpose and meaning begins the moment one believes and receives Christ; eternal life – eternal in quality, eternal in quantity because it is God’s life resident within. That’s why on this blog it is reality I keep hammering, not religiosity. People who experience the reality of God are never at the mercy of those who have not.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it Matthew 16:25. In context here, Jesus is referring to the promise of eternal life, but the same principle applies for this temporal life. The number 1 reason people feel life has no purpose or meaning is because the primary focus is forever on themselves; self becomes the be-all and the end-all. Years ago people worked hard trying to pretend otherwise, but not now in this age of the selfie – “Look at me! Look at me!” Are these people happy with their lot in life? Not all, misery and discontent rule their day – and night. Nothing satisfies them beyond a few passing moments. The more they have, the more they want. Rich and famous, poor and obscure, self rules for most people, but to their destruction.
Self was the ruler of my life too up until the early 1980’s. It wasn’t until then that I gave serious thought and questions to life’s purpose or meaning. And most surprised I was in my search to learn the answers don’t come through serving self, but in serving others. No, I didn’t discover this truth through the Lord Jesus Christ; I had not yet encountered Him. I discovered it through reading the thoughts and works of industrialists, inventors, politicians and business people from the Victorian era to the 1950’s. Not only did I learn of their successes and the principles applied to bring them about, but also of their failures and the principles not applied that brought most of those about. The common thread to the latter being, begin again with proper wisdom and humility.
Sadly, in the world of today’s 16-29 year-olds, success and failure are frowned upon. So much so, they’re being taught that there are no winners and no losers; capitalism is evil, socialism is honorable. They’re taught, right is wrong and wrong is right, good is bad and bad is good. Where did this nonsense come from? It came from some people now over 60 years! Fools they are, and foolishness is there legacy! Not only have they done a cruel disservice to themselves, they’ve passed it on to all who have entered their sphere. A few times a year I have the pleasure of spending a few hours with 16-29 year-olds and even some over 60 years. I don’t preach the Bible, I speak biblical principles. It never fails to hold their attention – far longer than the average 10-15 minutes!!
Quote: “Never give up until you have released your unused capacities for service and shared your gifts with others.” William H. Danforth. Grand encouragement from a man from the era spoken of above. Regardless of age, people must be encouraged to believe they have unused capacities, yet to be released to serve others. Recently I learned of a man who some years ago used to wait in his car for his wife to finish her painting class. One day the tutor came out and invited him inside. He encouraged the man to have a go at painting. Today he’s a most successful painter and his work is highly sought after in the corporate world in more than one country. What might have happened had the tutor not gone and spoken with him? Who knows? He may still be waiting in his car for his wife.
I’m not suggesting everyone’s unused capacities will generate the success it has for him, for monetary reward is not the true measure of success. Serving and sharing one’s gifts and giving pleasure to others is the measure. Everyone of us has an ability to do that for it is God-given and one doesn’t have to believe in God to make it happen. It’s better if one does believe though, for when God is believed He may show His reality. “What’s the matter with your eyes?” the bed-ridden lady asked me. I asked her what it was she was seeing and she said, “They are positively glowing.” I said this was Jesus’ way of showing her that in spite of her circumstances He was with her and wouldn’t leave her and, she would continue to experience His presence. She died in her sleep a few days after.
Although it was those people from the Victorian era to the 1950’s who taught and guided me into acting on the reality that life does have purpose or meaning when serving others, not self, it was the Lord Jesus Christ who confirmed the ultimate reality of it in mid-June 1985. The ultimate reality being, serve Him first, then everything else will fall into place in its proper order Matthew 6:33. True, I’ve had plenty of failures along the way, but giving up and succumbing to the “doctrines” of those ultimate fools Lenin and Marx and their true disciples, I’ve never considered a viable alternative and never will! Don’t buy the lie that life lacks purpose or meaning. It will make you a loser, never a winner! 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 Jeremiah 29:11.