Being a Christian does not excuse us from doing many things to survive. We still work and fulfill our roles at home and in the church. We become so busy with so many things that sometimes we forget what matters in life.
As we become Christ’s followers and discover more about His words, our priorities change over time.
Before, our focus could be on getting wealthy with a lot of money and material possessions.
Then, we become enlightened that these things are not the most essential in this world. Yet, what matters in life for Christians?
What really matters in life
Knowing what matters most helps us to focus on pressing our goal and eliminating unnecessary distractions. It would give us a clear direction of where we should be going.
I have found out three things that really matter in life.
Relationship with God
An elderly man and woman praying with their hands on their chests. (Photo by Saulo Leite from Pexels)
The first and foremost important thing that should matter to us is our connection with God.
Our Heavenly Father created us so He could have someone to express His love to.
Also, we are created by Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:16 says, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”
Thus, our purpose in life is to be connected with God because we are His and for Him. However, it does not mean we cannot pursue our dreams for ourselves, family, and careers.
Yet, all these are just icing on the cake. We should never take our relationship with God for granted. It should be our topmost priority in everything we do.
Our lives become miserable whenever we try to take God out of the picture. We may toil all day and night but still feel like living a meaningless life.
King Solomon emphasized in the first chapter of Ecclesiastes that life is meaningless without the Lord despite being the wisest king and having everything he needs.
Relationship with others
Group of people praying and singing in a room. (Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels)When God saw that it was not good for Adam to live alone with the other creatures, He made a woman, Eve, to be his companion. This means no man is an island. No one could ever survive in this world alone.
More so, God designed a family where we could be a part of it, then a community where we could belong.
The second thing that really matters in life is our relationship with others. Just as we need God, so we need each other.
As Christians, we are taught to love others, even our enemies, as we love ourselves. Jesus Christ did not fulfill His mission alone. He had disciples and followers to help Him accomplish His purpose here on earth.
Besides, He demonstrated how we should treat others, even those who do not like us. Jesus Christ values His connection with our Heavenly Father and His relationship with others.
During His expedition, He showed that no matter how others treat you, you should always treat them with the God’s love.
Since we are to follow Jesus Christ, we should value our relationship with others. Enjoy the community God has created for you. Encourage one another and pray for each other.
God multiplied the number of the early Christians because they showed their love for Him and fellow believers.
God’s greatest commandment
The two greatest commandments are related to what really matters in life.
Jesus Christ said in Matthew 22:37-40, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Once we put these two commandments in our hearts, we value the most essential things in life. God will be pleased and give us nothing but favor in everything we do.
Furthermore, these two commandments cover all of God’s commands. The more we strive to obey these, the more we can feel a kind of self-satisfaction that this world could never provide.
We would be surprised how God would bless us, enlarge our territories, be with us, and deliver us from evil, just like He did in Jabez’s life.
In this world that promotes cancel culture, as Believers, God commanded us to love Him and others with all hearts, souls, and minds.
Our purpose matters
“Purpose.” (Photo by Magda Ehlers from Pexels)God has uniquely shaped the purpose of our existence. We must discover our goals and maximize God-given gifts to excel in doing our purposes. Some are called to be teachers, missionaries, or preachers.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become a part of His body. All aspects of a body have a function to fulfill.
One time, I heard a sermon that many people in the cemetery have died without actually knowing and doing their purpose.
We are not just here to study, land our dream jobs, build a family, get old, and then die. Our lives are more than that.
God has beautiful visions and dreams even before we were formed in our mothers’ womb. We just have to spend time allowing Him to maneuver our lives.
His purpose is more than we could imagine, so it does matter.
How to focus on what really matters
Now that we know our relationship with God and others matters most. Also, understanding our purpose is crucial, so we should now focus on the goal.
Let us dive into a few tips on how we can concentrate on what really matters in life.
Strengthen your connection with God
“Pray.” (Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels)We want God to be the center of everything since our relationship with Him is essential to our lives. So, we have to put God first.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
There could be many things to accomplish, but we must prioritize our time with God. The more we know Him, the more we can love others as ourselves and understand our purpose. In other words, our connection with God is the foundation of our lives.
As we deepen our relationship with Him, we will be more confident to face all trials. We need God in every aspect of our lives; therefore, our topmost priority should be strengthening our connection with Him daily.
Develop a Christ-like character
A woman holding a small cross while reading the Bible. (Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels)Loving people we love is easy, but loving difficult people is challenging. However, as we live for Christ, our old selves are gone and now a new person. We should pursue a Christ-like character despite how manipulative or self-righteous others are.
Remember that what matters most is obeying God’s command and then letting God fight for us. Although it takes time and process to develop Jesus’ character, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can love others, even those unlovable.
The more we know about Jesus Christ as we read and meditate on God’s words, the more we can develop His character. His characters are the key for us to win everything in life.
Do not waste your time
We should not allow anything or anyone to disqualify us from the prize. This prize is not something this world could give but could only be given by God.
Our time is so precious that we should only focus on what matters in life.
Eliminate those things that would not help us achieve our purpose and hinder us from having a deeper connection with God and others.
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about What really matters in life as Christians.
