Dear Family and Friends,

I attended a pastors’ conference this past week. It felt good to catch up with friends after so many years. The presentations were good too.

One of the speakers made an observation that was obvious yet quite startling. The Gen Z generation (born between mid-1990s and early 2010s) never knew a world without the internet.

The observation made me feel really old, which by the way is also obvious and quite startling…

I was reminded of how each generation is uniquely different, each with it’s own set of values. As the world and society we live in changes, so do we.

But despite all the differences between the generations, there is one question that haunts all people of all generations at some stage in life.

In fact, a recent survey said 75% of Millennials are desperately seeking and have not found the answer to the following question – one that usually arises when the reality of mortality sets in:

What is the meaning and purpose of life?

What comes to mind are the Tokyo train stations at rush hour. Thousands of dark suits, all walking in step to the office. Day after day, year after year they trudge, living a godless life with no purpose nor meaning other than to simply provide and survive.

A similar image holds true for the majority of those Millennials mentioned above. They have been described as not knowing, believing or caring if God exists.

Yet they desperately seek something – anything – to take His place. Without God, they will inevitably conclude that life really has no meaning…

So, what is the meaning and purpose of life?

We know that we were created by God for a purpose.

“We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  Ephesians 2:10 NIV

And what does good works consist of?

“Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.”  Isaiah 43:7 NLT

In short, good works is that which brings glory to God.

Have you ever wondered: God, what is the meaning and purpose of my life? What is Your will for my life? What are the good works You want me to do? What should I do until You tell me?

In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl suggested we not ask life (or God) – what is the meaning of life?

We should instead be asking ourselves: Given the circumstances of life, what is the meaning of my life? Especially when life hands me more than I can handle?

Viktor Frankl was well qualified to answer that question. He was a Jew who managed to find the meaning of life in the horrific suffering of four concentration camps.

The following quotes may shed some light on his thinking.

“If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering.” V. Frankl

“In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.” V. Frankl

Then Frankl wrote this, “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

What Frankl was saying is that we can try to numb the pain from life’s circumstances. Like today’s millennials who seek happiness hoping it will fix their pain.

Or we can choose to make Jesus the meaning and purpose of our lives, including the suffering parts.

Viktor Frankl said one more thing about finding the meaning of life – – it’s ever changing. As life changes, so can the meaning of our lives.

We tend to think the meaning of life is one life-long unchanging task. Frankl said to live a meaningful life, live life holding true to what’s meaningful.

Jesus warned us that we will have trouble in this world. He knew the meaning of our lives could be challenged when difficult circumstances arose.

Jesus taught us how to persevere when He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”  Luke 9:23 NIV

Denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily is the good works Jesus asks of us.

Taking up our cross means to nail our sinful ways, thoughts and actions to the cross – to put them to death and bury them forever.

Daily means choosing to obey Jesus as often as our flesh wants to sin. It means choosing Jesus even in the worst of circumstances.

Doing so will give our life meaning – fulfilling the will of our Father. 

Doing so will give our life purpose – following Jesus hour by hour, day after day…

Doing so will bring glory to God.

In love always,