What is the Meaning of Life?
Strength for the Church
Written by Micah Eldridge
What am I here for?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1647.
We’re all on a path to find our "chief end,” or ultimate meaning in life. Sometimes we look inward: What is it you desire? What interests you? Where do your passions lie? At other times we look outward to find meaning by exploring college degree programs, going on a job search, or meeting new and interesting people. I’m all for tapping into our passions and finding a fulfilling career, but Scripture and human experience both tell us we won’t find ultimate meaning there.
Instead of looking inward or outward, we need to look upward to find meaning.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism is a historic statement of faith that lays out basic Christian doctrine in clear and simple terms. It’s helped generations of Christians stay grounded in what life is ultimately about. It states that our ultimate meaning in life is found when we glorify and enjoy God. It’s a simple statement packed with so much richness.
“Glorify God” counters self-centeredness by emphasizing that humans exist for God rather than God existing for us. It reminds us that we were created in the image of God; God was not created in the image of man. He created us by love, through love, and for love to partner with Him beatifying the world (see Genesis 1:26-31).
“Enjoy Him forever” emphasizes that our ultimate joy is found in God. When we put our faith in Jesus, not only do we receive forgiveness of sins, but we also recover the personal, intimate relationship that we were intended to have with the Father. And that relationship fuels our lives with God’s love and presence, where true and lasting joy is found (see John 16:19-24)
And the real beauty of this little, well-worn phrase is that it weds glorifying God and enjoying Him as intricately linked ideas. To bring glory to God is to enjoy him. And to enjoy God is to bring glory to his name. Think of it this way: the more a husband and wife enjoy one another, the more beautiful (glorious) the marriage looks to those who know the couple. And the more pure and meaningful the marriage, the more enjoyable it is to the husband and wife.
John Piper famously and faithfully edits the words of the Catechism to simply this: “You are here to glorify God by enjoying him forever.”
Reflection Questions
- What do you most admire about God’s character?
- What do you most enjoy about your relationship with God?
- In what ways does that enjoyment glorify God to others?