The Meaninglessness of Life

Sitting there watching as the fish swam about in their world, unaware of my presence and observing eye, I began to think deeply about the life of fish.

They were all busy doing what fish do. Some were chasing each other playfully. Some were picking at each other. Others were hiding in the dark crevices of their environment. Perhaps they too were observing. Perhaps.

Then my mind drifted back to a place and time about a week or so ago. I had gone to the store with my daughter who needed to get some things and I sat in the car while she went in. I don't much listen to music anymore so I was just sitting there by myself entertaining my own thoughts.

I watched the people coming and going in and out of the store. I am certain that most of them were unaware of my presence as I sat and searched their faces for traces of individuality and commonality. I'm not sure what I was looking for, really or how I'd find it. Maybe to see a glimpse of their stories written on their faces.

Some of them were smiling. Some frowning. I watched as people passed each other without speaking. One woman had a wonderful conversation with her little boy about what they were going to read together. Brought a huge smile to my face as that is something I thoroughly enjoy doing with my son.

I think it was because it was fairly warm out that day that so many people were out and about "doing life." And as I sat there, once again I asked myself (as I've often done in the past), what is the purpose of this? I began to feel sad while considering all the different levels of pain, suffering and brokenness ....that each individual surely experienced throughout their lives. It all seems so meaningless at times. Like whatever purpose there is for this world, it just seems hopeless. And in my mind I heard it clearly....and wept.

Ecclesiastes 1:13-14 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

And after feeling a very heavy burden for the striving after wind that we as humans do, I was filled with hope and peace knowing that despite how it seems on the outside, each one of us were created in the image of God and that there is a purpose to life that isn't vanity. That isn't hopeless. That isn't meaningless. I began to see that each face that passed had stories to tell of joy and happiness, laughter and love...beauty that we also are meant to experience.

And then I thought about my own life...how I too have stories of sorrow, sadness, brokenness and hopelessness. Stories of joy and love and playfulness that I have been blessed to enjoy. And I realized that while I am not impervious to sorrow in this life....I'm also not impervious to joy.

I sometimes see the world through "suffering colored glasses" and I wish I didn't. God gave me a heart to feel moved by suffering and I am sometimes overwhelmed and I am filled with similar thoughts as those of the author of Ecclesiastes. I believe though, that He did so that I might be moved with compassion.

Fish scurry. People scurry. Some hide in dark crevices for reasons I don't understand. Some chase each other playfully enjoying moments of fun. Some pick at each other because their personalities clash.

Atheists have often suggested that a life lived in faith in things not seen, is meaningless. I beg to differ. For me a life lived without God is just existing...doing what humans do. But a life lived with God, and all that it entails...IS living!