For whom do you live?
Dear reader, what would be your answer to this question: For whom do you live?Maybe you will reply: I live to help my family, to leave a wealthy inheritance after me; or perhaps you will say: I live to make a career, to raise enough money to lead a quiet and comfortable life, just to have fun because I have only one life to live no more.
But the Bible, which is the Word of God teaches us in 1 John 2:17: "The world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever."
Also in Ecclesiastes 1:14; 12: 13,14 it is said: "I saw all the works that were done under the sun, And look! everything is futility, a chasing after the wind!... Let us hear the conclusion of everything having been said: Fear the God and keep His commandments! For this is the whole duty of man. For the God will bring every work into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or bad."
Therefore, what remains forever are works done according to God's Will, all thoughts, words, works coming from self-love are nothing more than futility and are leading nowhere than to eternal perdition! - Matthew 16: 24-27.
But many people, who are looking for "happiness" without God, do not have a lasting and happy life, because life with all its accomplishments is passing away, but "the one who does the will of God remains forever".
Therefore, perhaps it is time to seriously reflect on the eternal truths of God, who tells you that living the present life for Him you'll gain a meaningful life now and an eternal life in His kingdom in the future.
Also, you must understand that living for Him means giving up living for yourself; it means to lose, to give up selfish desires, your objectives, plans, concerns that are against God's Will; to give up building your kingdom, your career, your name, in favor of doing works for the kingdom of God, for building up His name and glory. But isn't it worth giving up what you cannot keep (present life) for receiving something that doesn't pass (eternal life)?
In order to be able to do all these works you need FAITH, that faith which believes that:
• Living for God leads to the most fulfilling life and the best way of living, because God, like any father, wants the best for His children (John 10:10).
• Giving up to lead our life according to wishes of our heart in favor of God, thus, we let ourselves on the most powerful arms, but also the most loving and merciful (Jeremiah 10:23; 17: 5-10).
• God is worth we trust Him, He has everything under control, He will never deceive or disappoint us, for all works either bad or good are finally made for the benefit of those, who have dedicated their life unconditionally to their Creator (Romans 8:28).
• We become the property of the Most High, by giving our lives to Him we receive the right to everlasting life as a gift by the grace (undeserved favor) of God and the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus (John 3:36; Romans 6:23), also the right to be forgiven (Ephesians 1: 7; 1 John 1: 8; 2: 1,2), to be adopted as children of God (Romans 8: 15-17), the right to abundant life (John 10:10), to have full joy which is found only in Jesus (John 15: 8), the right to become kings, priests and judges with Christ (1 Corinthians 6: 2,3; Revelation 1: 5.6; 5: 8,9) the right to have the divine nature (1 Peter 1: 3,4) and be made partakers of God's holiness (Hebrews 12:10), etc.
Now that we have analyzed the mentality of faith of the one who lives his life for God, we can realize ourselves if we really live for God or not.
What should be done if we have realized that we've lived for us, which brought us to have a meaningless life, because the things we have ran after so far were a chase after the wind and these didn't fill in that emptiness in our heart, that search, that desire to be loved, to be accepted and appreciated at our true value? These can be achieved only by the perfect and tender love of the Creator, for He loves you more than you love yourself, wants good for you more than you want it yourself. But unfortunately, He could not bring fulfillment and full joy into your life, because you have lived for yourself and for some selfish things. True happiness begins when we give, when we sacrifice ourselves, for only emptying us of ourselves, we can be filled in with the Christ, who is love and wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24; Titus 2:11).
Do you want to change the switch of your life? Do you want to start living for God?
If you've made this decision, it is time to revise your life, shifting your priorities and letting the Lord Jesus be truly the Lord of your life, leading you and being the Lord and the Master of your desires, plans and concerns, your time, money, and your heart.
In this regard the following things will help, if you practice them regularly:
Pray to God frequently, bringing praise and gratitude but also your requests and supplications; confess your sins to Him also your needs and dreams, and be sure that He will always understand you (Philippians 4: 6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5: 17,18).
Read and meditate every day on the Word of God (Joshua 1: 8), I suggest, if you have not read the Bible before, to begin with the Gospel of Luke, then read Acts, and then the rest of the New Testament, and in the end the Old Testament.
Tell those of your family, relatives, neighbors, colleagues, etc. about the happiness of living for God (you can copy this file and give it to them) - Romans 10: 9,10.
Seek first His Kingdom, together with other children of God, that is everlasting and will never pass (Matthew 6:33).
Finally, do not forget the words of the Lord Jesus: "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of My Name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit everlasting life." - Matthew 19:29.