As a child, all we did was study and play with our friends after school. Life seemed to be lighthearted. When we grow older, we reach the stage where we begin to question things, especially ourselves, and as a teenager, I will admit that I sometimes tend to lean on the most common teenage mantra: life sucks.
At some point in our lives, we probably thought that life sucked—it’s unfair. We believe life is against us because we always battle our struggles, doubts, and worries. Life encourages us to let go of people and things we want to hold on to—ideas, experiences, decisions, and more. It challenges us to step out of our comfort zone and bite the bullet. And most importantly, life makes us want to live it to the fullest. Beautiful, right? But, of course, it’s easier said than done. Our minds are clouded with thoughts like, I don’t think I am worthy of anything; I am scared to take a risk; I carry a heavy weight on my shoulder. We ask ourselves, How do I even find fulfillment in my life?
What is life? Life is a relationship with Life. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This tells us that Jesus is a person. Life is not just about mere events, from the moment of our birth to our goals and achievements to the day we die; life is a summation, amalgamation, and consolidation of everything. Life isn’t just what you are experiencing right now—there is so much more to it. As Steven Curtis Chapman has said, “There is more to this life than living or dying, more than just trying to make it through the day.”
When we think of fulfillment in life, our goals come to mind. I want to attend and graduate from this university! I want to be a doctor! I want to start a business! While the goals we set for ourselves are a wonderful pursuit, they do not compare to the one true ultimate goal, and that is to better understand and appreciate Life Himself, who is Jesus Christ. If we limit our goals to temporal things, we will reach a dead end and will never stay satisfied with them—as St. Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” So, life means building a relationship with Life. For us to establish a relationship with Jesus, we must completely surrender ourselves to Him. We must surrender all our goals and trust in His plans, for He has our best interest in His heart. Thus, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” —Proverbs 3:5-6
Going back to the question, How do I find fulfillment in life? Fulfillment is found in a person, Jesus Christ, to whom we surrender everything to—our uncertainties, sorrows, hopes, and more. There is no greater pursuit in life than the pursuit of God Himself, who is willing to be found by us.