Hi,
These are very important questions and thoughts you have. What is the meaning of life? Why is there so much pain and difficulty in life?
Most people are looking for the meaning to life and for a purpose to live for. Lots don’t find an answer, but most people create a meaning through the things that you mention: family, friends, interests, hobbies, having fun, different activities and so on.
People need to find meaning and value in life in order to experience motivation and joy. A lot of people spend lots of effort creating meaningful life-long relationships, hobbies, money, material goods, careers, and so on. We also often attach value to ourselves in terms of physical appearance, accomplishments, studies, the number of friends and so on. But when people look for meaning and value in this world, they will never be totally contented, as they will never be rich enough, beautiful enough, or famous enough: they will always want more.
The Bible says that the meaning of life is to know God and receive eternal life. The fact that we are created by God, and born into this world, means that we have the opportunity to receive eternal life in heaven.
It is very hard to give a short answer to why God created the world and let evil gain so much power. God created the world in order to have fellowship with mankind, and He wanted people as friends who would freely choose to be with Him, not robots or slaves. That’s why we needed to have a choice between good and evil. In the fall of man, people chose evil instead of God’s will. When we see the abundance of evil in the word we have to realise we are to blame, not God. God has good thoughts and good plans for us. Despite the evil and troubles in the world, He can give us hope and meaning to life through knowing Him and His will and plan for us. The more we get to know God, the more our lives will be filled with meaning, hope and joy.
You are valuable and your life is a gift from God.
Your value has nothing to do with you.
Your value lies in the fact that God wanted you and has plans for you.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” Jeremiah 5:1.
“Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name” Isaiah 49:1.
“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.
God’s goal for you is that you will receive eternal life and be with Him forever. This means that the meaning of life here on earth is that you will get to know Jesus better, and stay close to Him. This life is like a preparation for eternal life, and this means that we should grow in our likeness to Him and bring as many people as possible with us to heaven.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” John 17:3.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:19.
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you” John 15:11–16.
Death is a consequence of the sin which came into the world. God does not want death, but He had to let people die to stop them living for ever in this sinful, painful world. When Jesus died on the cross for us He conquered death for us and turned death into a door leading to God for everyone who believes.
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” John 11:25–26.
“‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am’” John 14:1–3.
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” Filippians 1:21.
The Bible presents us with lots of good ideas which bring joy and content to our daily lives. God’s plan and will for us is incredibly rich and He has both duties and joys for us which are tailor-made for our personality and abilities.
The truth is that without God there is no meaning to life: without Him we simply live and die and try to make the best out of it. But with God there is meaning, joy, hope and a perfect eternity. We are not here by chance, we are wanted, we are planned and we are a part of the big picture that God has for us.
God brings meaning and hope to everyone, it doesn’t matter where they are born, how rich or poor, sick or healthy, happy or sad, lonely or popular they are. God gives meaning to life, because God IS the meaning.
If there is a church in your area it would be a good idea to start there. You can talk to an adult Christian about your thoughts and questions. It’s hard to give proper answers to your questions without talking to you. It would also be good for you to read the Bible. You could start in the Gospel of John and then get to know and feel secure in God’s plan, the meaning of life, death and eternity.
You can also buy a devotional book aimed at teenagers, or the book ‘The Purpose-driven Life’ by Rick Warren, it gives good answers to the questions you ask.
I hope you got some answers to your questions. May God bless you as you seek more answers!
Best wishes, boyandgirl.info