Understanding

The first step in gaining an understanding of any subject is to explore the possibility that your current understanding is limited or even incorrect. Without that, you are wasting your time and merely seeking to prove a point, which will lead to subjective evaluation of any new information.

 In dealing with issues relating to the meaning of life, life after death, heaven and hell and salvation, people are scared to find out that they’ve been uninformed or misled for many years of their lives, and therefore tend to avoid the issue. This, however, prolongs the ignorance and eventually leads to miserable, meaningless lives. No matter where you travel, what you see, what you’ve experienced, the gnawing feeling of: “what on earth am I here for?” will never leave until you embrace your Creator and the destiny for which He created you.

 Religion, unfortunately, doesn’t help in this quest for meaning. In fact, it makes it worse, for it keeps people under the false impression that they have the truth and that they must simply battle it out until they have conquered their passions, their vices and their fears. Religion often puts a burden of perfection on people which is impossible to bear. For this reason, people live their lives in separate compartments. The religion compartment cannot touch the job compartment and the job compartment shouldn’t touch the family compartment for if these different compartments touch, it becomes messy and we don’t have answers for so many questions. We mistakenly think that if we achieve success in the job compartment our lives will be meaningful, only to find out that the relationship compartment is lacking and is ruining the rest.

 What a state! In Matt 11:28 Jesus invites you to stop searching; Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 He invites you to become real, in every situation, every day. He invites you to draw from His strength and wisdom and to live a life of joy and fulfilment, regardless of your vocation.

 What religion cannot achieve, a relationship with God can! Nothing can compare with an experience with God through his Holy Spirit, where you hear His voice and experience His love and acceptance and guidance on a daily basis. Of course, I agree that the experience needs to be based on the principles and laws of the written Word of God and not contradict it. Yet the Bible is clear that the letter brings death and the spirit brings life, which brings me to the conclusion that reading the Bible without the companionship of the Holy Spirit, is merely a religious exercise which produces nothing more than a little discipline in your life. However, when you allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you, reading God’s word becomes a revelation of the bigger picture, of who God is, what he wants to do in you and through you. It becomes a tool so vital for everyday living that you cannot afford to go without it.

 Please consider the possibility that you might not have all the answers, that there might be truth you have not discovered yet, that there might actually be meaning to life and more importantly, to your life. If your answer is positive, take actual practical steps to allow Truth to set you free. Study the Bible, explore books on different topics which will equip you and read it, join a Bible-believing spirit led church, learn how to pray and pray without ceasing. Time is of the essence, you can still enjoy a meaningful life! You can still make a difference!