Throughout man’s long history there have been countless events or perspectives of thought which have sought out the answer to an ultimate question: What is the meaning of life? Such a pursuit of meaning is prolific among men of various cultures and languages because it is a unifying condition of man’s existence.
In truth, it is impossible for man to fully comprehend the ramifications of eternity. We can attempt to use metaphors and illustrations to describe such a concept, but for man, who is trapped in the happenings of time, the concept of limitlessness is beyond our own experience. It is into this realm that God not only promises, but has purposed for His created beings to enter. While we are not eternal beings in the ultimate sense having had a beginning (unlike God who has no beginning), a part of us is created to last beyond the coil of this earthly frame.
When new converts first come to Christ there is a transitional period of change between the old life and a new life in Christ. This can be a difficult period as many things which defined who a person was, ways they enjoyed spending their time, habits and behaviors all must be either reevaluated or replaced by something holy and wholesome. In truth, this process never really ends and lasts throughout the Christian walk, but its biggest impact should come at the time of conversion.
According to the ancient writer Plutarch, “When Alexander heard from Anaxarchus of the infinite number of worlds, he wept, and when his friends asked him what was the matter, he replied, ‘Is it not a matter for tears that, when the number of worlds is infinite, I have not conquered one?’” (Life of Alexander). This quotation describes an interesting attitude in a man who had conquered much of the known world at a young age. His weeping betrayed a glimpse of reality that not even Alexander likely truly appreciated.
Life is full of difficulties and hardship, and more so for some then for others. Trying to understand these difficulties and face these hardships leads many to question the purpose for life. Of course, the Bible provides the answers to these questions, assuming man is honest enough with himself to accept them.