Fulfilling the purpose for which He had come to earth, Jesus voluntarily offered Himself. He was crucified as the ultimate, blameless sacrifice. He died as the Lamb of God, the atonement for all mankind. He bore the punishment of all our sins, and died, the just for the unjust. (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18) Through this sacrifice, all those who believe in Him are able to obtain forgiveness. “What is my purpose in life?” Man has long struggled to answer questions like these, to understand the purpose of life and our passage here on earth.

We love to understand, to grasp the world we live in. We understand that we are born and that we die, that much is obvious. It is what happens in between that we need help with. We have been programmed to believe that the ultimate purpose in life is the pursuit of happiness. We try to ­find this in money, self-help books, other people, and things of the world.

But something happens to us when we believe that happiness is the only purpose in life. One result is that when we face job issues, health problems, conflicts in relationships, or when we watch the latest news story about terrorism, the fleeting feelings of happiness dissolve and we mentally and emotionally break down and feel empty.

But living a life with your ultimate purpose in mind gives you a chance to live beyond your own limitations. It is the key to dealing with the stress, anxiety and hopelessness that can engulf our everyday lives. We must break out of the natural human bubble of self-centeredness and remind ourselves that it is not about us, it is about glorifying Christ.

Jesus is the only one who can change and restore us to our original purpose in life, where we can face life’s difficulties with faith and hope. Your ultimate purpose has been given to you by your Creator, as well as free will. On this Easter season, let us remember what Christ’s purpose was for us and remember what our purpose is now. Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Andrea McDonald