What is the real meaning of life?
Have you ever asked yourself this question? Or maybe similar questions like these: Why do I exist? Where do I go? Why is life so short? What is the meaning of life?
It is very important to find the answers to these questions, because our present and future happiness depends on these. Without knowing the answers to these questions we would be like a ship at sea, without an itinerary and a precise target toward which we are heading, and thus, after a while we would sink! Though for a ship to reach the shore, it needs a map, a compass and other sailing tools and, also to know exactly the teritory it should reach, but what is the map and the target for us, humans?
Surely the One who created all things, including the earth and the man, is God and He is the only One in the position to tell us for what did He create us, giving us the purpose (goal) that we have to reach, and also the tools by which we would come to fulfill that purpose, that would bring a real fulfillment in our life!
The shore we must reach is the everlasting life or the Kingdom of God! - 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Timothy 4:18.
One of the purposes for which God created man is life in communion with God, who is the source of life and happiness (1 John 1: 3,6); this fellowship with God makes a person to acquire God's qualities, such as love, mercy, goodness, holiness, justice, etc. (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11; Galatians 5: 22,23). This is the only way you can find true life and happiness (John 10:10; 15:11; 1 Timothy 6:19; 2 Peter 1: 3-11), guidance or counselling (Jeremiah 3: 4; 10:23; Romans 8:14), help and support (Psalm 91: 1-3).
Life on earth, with its sufferings and trials is just a training (a school) for the life to be lived in eternity (James 1: 2-5; Romans 5: 3-5), once we use the tools given by Him now, we will come to have His image (His qualities), to resemble Him more and more in everything (Colossians 3: 5-10).
But the sailing tools to reach the Kingdom of God are:
Prayer is one of the principal means of communion with God, through which you can speak to Him. Pray frequently to God, bringing your praise and thanksgiving, but also your requests and supplications; confesses to Him your sins and also your needs and wishes, and be sure that He will always understand you (Philippians 4: 6, 7; 1 Thessalonians 5: 17,18).
Daily reading His Word, the Holy Bible, through which God will speak to you and answer your prayer.
The map is the Word of God or the Bible, which is able to teach us and guide us (2 Timothy 3:16). And the Word of God will teach you that:
You are sinful and guilty before God, because you have broken His law, you have led a life in which the target was not God and His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33; Romans 3: 9-12; 1 John 1: 8; Ephesians 5: 1).
You need to repent of your evil deeds, confessing your regret in prayer and renouncing of them by the power of God (Acts 3:19; Proverbs 28:13).
The Scripture will teach you that Jesus died on the cross for all people, and only through having faith in Him one can be saved (Ephesians 1: 7; 2: 8-18).
God's Word will teach you that true religion means following Him (1 Peter 2:21; John 14: 6).
These are some important points, but by reading the Bible and meditating on it daily, God will uncover more of His great plan for mankind and also, the plan for your life (Colossians 1: 9-11; Ephesians 3: 5-11).
Now think about your life, do you want it to have an eternal meaning? If so, then make of God's purpose the main goal of your life, then your life will have a real meaning, because the eternity along with your Creator will not be a desert, but will be a fulfillment, as it says in 1 Corinthians 2: 9: "...Things that eye has not seen and ear has not heard, nor have there been conceived in the heart of man, so are the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” We can be sure of these things for God is Truth, He cannot lie (Titus 1:2).
If our life is not in harmony with God's eternal purpose, we will feel frustrated and unhappy, because according to Ecclesiastes 3:11, the Creator "has even put eternity in their heart", thus, if our main purpose is unrelated to eternal things of the Creator, we will not be able to find inner peace and fulfillment.
IN CONCLUSION: the real purpose or the meaning of life is to live eternally in communion with God, the source of life and happiness, and become a person that has the image of God; so choose the communion with God, the Father of the light, and with His Son, Jesus Christ, which leads to eternal life.