Am I living for the experience of life or for the purpose of life? It's a question that will ultimately determine the focus of our lives. Are we willing to give up the desires and the feelings--the experiences, to live for something that is so much more glorious and important than the present moment?
Looking back on my life I am sorry to see how many times I was focused on having the experience of something instead of having a purpose for having that experience. Much to my dismay I see that so often my relationship with God is based off of this experience mentality. I worship God because I want the experience of His presence, not because He deserves every ounce of praise I can give Him. I go on a mission trip for the experience of a new culture and the stories I'll have to tell.
What a horrible and empty way to live.
Experiences won't satisfy.
They only leave us void and under the illusion that the next one will give us the "high" we are so desiring. What if we threw off the lie of living for the sake of experience and started living for the purpose of our creation. To glorify God. What if instead of waking up in the morning and thinking What's the best experience I can have today or How can I get the most pleasure out of this day; We woke up and said "ok God, what is Your will for me today."
Sometime's God's will is for us to do something amazing and exciting, and sometimes it will be the most boring and monotonous thing you could think of, but its for His glory. The best experience we could ever possibly have is the moment where we come into the presence of the living God and He looks at us and says "... 'Well done, good and faithful servant!..." (Matthew 25:23)That is what I want to work towards.
It's not wrong to do cool stuff but if thats all we are focused on how are we bringing glory to God? Maybe the only purpose of the experience is to witness the beauty of God's creation, so when we see it lets make sure we praise Him for it. Maybe it's to hang out with friends, then lets make sure we uplift and encourage those friends.
In everything may we live with purpose and love. May love be the experience of our lives. Love with purpose, love with passion, love with action. Corinthians 13:4-7 talks about what love is: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
That is a list of actions, a list that requires work and purpose. You don't just experience protection, you have to have a purpose to protect. You don't just have an experience of trust, you to have a reason to trust. My challenge, to live a life that is full of loving purpose. Love God, Love Others, Love Yourself.
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