What's the point?

I asked myself for several years, with all this pain and suffering, what's the point? What is the point to all this? You live, learn, love, hurt, die and then there's nothing left. As a child, I believed in God. As an adult I had become estranged to God in many respects. But the reality is, after my suicide attempts I was left looking at everything and wondering, What's the point?

Yes, I was having an existential crisis. A lot of people do. Some go out and buy expensive cars. Others, well I guess we finally find the truth.

While I wasn't really looking for the "God" answer, I was trying to find some meaning beyond marriage, family, work for work's sake, living, suffering, learning, growing old and then finally forgetting and becoming dust.  And honestly,  I couldn't find a single meaning to it all that gave reason for any of it. There was nothing that gave me a sense of purpose, nothing that gave me an idea that yes, this is why I exist. 

The Big Bang leaves way too many questions for me, and doesn't give me any clear answers.  Plus, it's still a theory. I am not smart enough to determine exactly how God made the Heavens and the Earth and I can't rule out a giant explosion starting it all,  just that if that's what happened, it wasn't some spontaneous thing that occurred of its own accord from 'stuff' infinitely small having no real point of origin (meaning stuff that came from nothing). If there was a Big Bang, God started it, but I'm not here to discuss scientific theories, but purpose and meaning. Even a scientific theory about the origins of life doesn't give you purpose, it just tells you how you got here, but not if it means anything in the grand scheme!

Why are you here? Why do you bother suffering through life? What's the point if you're just going to die anyway and you'll become a faint memory, only to be forgotten? Well, the whole point of your existence is you were created to be loved by God, but also to get to know Him and love Him too. In all reality, it's a bit of a supernatural parent-child relationship, but it's bigger and better than anything you could ever experience on Earth (especially if you didn't have a good parent-child relationship growing up). And you don't become an orphan. You leave your mortal coil behind (through natural death) and you are united with your creator later.

Still don't buy it? What else have you looked into? Psychotherapy, astrology, occultism, paganism, drugs, hypnotism, meditation, self-help books, hobbies, adult learning, other spiritual beliefs? Seriously, what has truly worked for you? Beer? How's that hangover?  

Ever wonder why rich famous stars commit suicide? They may appear to have it all, but they don't have the most important thing of all (or they wouldn't check out because they can't handle the pain, or the disappointment once they reached the pinnacle of their success) What they lack and cannot share is the knowledge of God's love. The understanding of God's love. 

Have you ever had someone die for you? Someone who is literally offering to take your place and can actually do it? Offering to lighten your burden of pain, anguish, insecurity, fear. That's what Jesus did. But it wasn't meant for your human life to be eternal in this world. It was so you could have life after this one, but this life would become more abundant (in meaning, purpose and impact) and the next life would be, well...Heavenly!

That is God's love.  

Had you asked me a year ago if I would be professing God's love (a seemingly soft mushy concept for an Iron Maiden fan), I would have thought you were mad. I'm not the touchy-feely kind. Okay, I am a little, but in truth, I can come off a bit aloof at times. I'm quiet, reserved, evenly measured and even reading what I wrote is more like the child in me than the stoic cynical realist me which I had become. But you know what? That stoic, cynical realist is the one that tried to commit suicide. So how did being my old self, without God work out? Clearly, it didn't. 

Our ancestors messed up so much that we became so removed from the presence of God that it's noted as being mere superstition to believe in Him and that the church is a racket. Well, sure, some churches can be out to make a buck off unsuspecting patrons and there are wolves in sheep's clothing, but a good church is one that ministers to its people, the community and perhaps another cause elsewhere, all the while maintaining their standing with God's Word. It also fosters fellowship with like-minded people and that is important to help strengthen your faith.

Part of becoming a Christian, or a disciple of Christ (and no not some cult that may share the name) is to try and become more Christ-like and that means looking out for other people, not just yourself. When we finally get our head around the fact that the whole point of living is to strive to be like Jesus and having no other god before the one true God, we set ourselves on a course for inner growth, inner change and we begin to learn our purpose and the point of all of this.  Ultimately, relationships are the entire reason for our existence (even if you consider yourself a recluse). But the most important relationship is the one you have with Jesus.  

You've possibly seen bumper stickers, "Got Jesus?"  What does that cheesy-looking slogan imply? 

Have you asked him into your life? Have you asked him to become Lord of your life (that means putting Him first)? Have you asked for forgiveness and thanked Him for not only His forgiveness, but for the ultimate price He paid when he was crucified (can you even imagine how painful that was? And then being stuck in the side with a spear for good measure)?  If you have done as the Bible instructs, this is the first step.

And if you haven't, there's no time like the present. Seek Him with all your heart. Do not be insincere.

I guarantee that if you open yourself up to Jesus, your life will gradually start to look different and you will be on the journey to your personal transformation. 

You will have found the point to it all - and it's so simple!

God is the Point!