Don't Waste Your Life
John Piper writes, "I will tell you what a tragedy is. I will show you how to waste your life. Consider this story from the February 1998 Reader's Digest: A couple 'took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play softball and collect shells....' Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: 'Look, Lord. See my shells.' That is a tragedy. "God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life. The wasted life is the life without this passion. God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives." Most people slip by in life without a passion for God, spending their lives on trivial diversions, living for comfort and pleasure, and perhaps trying to avoid sin. This book will warn you not to get caught up in a life that counts for nothing. It will challenge you to live and die boasting in the cross of Christ and making the glory of God your singular passion. If you believe that to live is Christ and to die is gain, read this book, learn to live for Christ, and don't waste your life!
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What Hacker News says
- "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" - Jesus
A good solution to your problem might be to develop a different understanding of the meaning and purpose of life. "Normal" American culture is selling you a false bill of goods IMO.
You could start by reading the Bible. Start with the Gospel of John and Romans. The ESV is a great translation and they have a study bible that is helpful.
Listen/read good preachers/teachers who can help you understand what life is really about: John Piper, Tim Keller, and R.C. Sproul are all great places to start. Each of them have podcasts available.
John Piper has a book called "Don't Waste Your Life" that is available free online and would likely be applicable to your situation. Tim Keller has a book on marriage that might help put your relationship troubles in perspective.
Finally, find a good church and start building relationships with people. Get advice from those who are wise and godly. Any church affiliated with 9 Marks ministries or following their advice on church priorities is likely a good place to start.
This won't be a popular suggestion, and Christ doesn't promise his followers an easy or happy life (just the opposite). But he does offer a meaningful life, wisdom to understand what is wrong with us and the world around us, salvation from sin and judgement (which are the biggest threat to us), and hope for better times yet to come.
One of the things the Bible teaches is that, in significant ways, we are all complete failures at life. But Christ lived and died to offer us redemption from that failure. To give our lives value, regardless of how little "success" we have. No...to redefine "success" and give us something actually worth living for.
- Don't waste your life - John Piper
