If you take an honest look at your life, you know that something is missing. Why is it that we all have a desire that can never seem to be satisfied? Why is it that even those who have it all are usually still miserable? Just one look at pop culture will reveal a deep, intense longing for something that this world cannot seem to offer. The point of this article is to show you how you can truly find peace, purpose, and hope.
The Christian philosopher C.S. Lewis once said,
The reason why we feel so helpless and insecure is because we have all been cut from our source of life. In the beginning, man was created good and upright (Genesis 1:31), but he fell away and separated himself from God, the giver and sustainer of life. In an act of rebellion, man decided to make himself god and turn away from the one true God.
When man was cut off from the source of God, evil came into existence. Man forsook righteousness and did what ought not to be done (Romans 1:28). He brought consequences upon himself like death, disease, divorce, adultery, murder, falsehood, depression, and discord. It does not matter who you are, you know that you cannot stop doing evil. You strive to do what is right, but you consistently miss the mark. The reason for this conundrum is that you were born into a world that sin has consumed. The good news is that God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). He gave His life as a sacrifice so that we might know His true love for us. We can see that he loves us so much that he was willing to suffer the pain and humiliation of the cross for our sake. But why did he have to die? In the Old Testament, God required the sacrifice of an animal without blemish to cover sin. The reason is because the life of the animal was considered payment for the sin since death comes by sin. Jesus Christ was the ultimate sacrifice. God, in the form of a man, lived a sinless life and conquered death through His resurrection. The penalty of sin was paid for by Christ's death on the cross. Through His resurrection, we can have new life. Christ is the victor over pain and death! Jesus paid the price for our new life. All that you need to do is believe in Him, make Him Lord of your life, and follow Him. It is through confession, acceptance, and repentance that one can be saved from spiritual death and eventually physical death. It is through Jesus' death that we can be forgiven of our sins and be given a new life. The Bible says that you can become a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). This means that you will develop a craving for doing good and forsaking evil. More importantly though, you will develop a relationship with God, and you will know for sure that you have found true peace. In a sense, you will have been reattached to the vine (John 15:5), and you will feel spiritually alive. You may think that this sounds like a fairy tale. We live in a society that does not give much credence to supernatural happenings. You may also think, How can I believe in a historical event without proof? I encourage you to consider two things: First, there is actually a substantial amount of evidence to support the fact that Jesus existed. Second, it says in the book of John that all those who listen to God will be drawn to Jesus (John 6:44-45). I firmly believe that right now the Holy Spirit is tugging at your heart; He is telling you that this is indeed the Truth and purpose that you have been searching for. If you want to become a Christian here is how:
If you sincerely followed these simple steps, you are now a Christian! Congratulations, that is the most important decision that you could ever make. Once you have joined the family of God, it is time to repent of your sins. As mentioned, repent means to turn away. That is, you need to start trying to stop sinning. If that sounds like an insurmountable task, do not panic. God exists in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Right before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He promised that the Holy Spirit would indwell all that receive Him. If you sincerely asked Jesus Christ to save you, the Holy Spirit now lives within you, and he will be your comforter and guide. As you go through your new life, you will feel yourself being molded more into God's image everyday. Remember to stand strong in your faith; do not let the enemy deceive you with false teachings. The transformation that a Christian goes through is real, and you will experience it firsthand if you allow the Holy Spirit to work. You will develop a new perspective of the world, and it will all begin to make sense. C.S. Lewis once said:
I really hope that this short article has helped you in your pursuit of truth. I must leave you with a warning: there is a going to be an afterlife for everyone, but there are only two eternal destinies. Christians will live with God forever in peace, and all others will be eternally damned to hell. Hell is simply the absence of God. Nobody really knows exactly what hell will be like, but there is one guarantee: the emptiness that you feel now will be much more severe in an eternity with no chance of reconciliation with God. Please consider this warning very seriously. It is easy to be arrogant and pretend that there is no heaven or hell, but deep inside, you know that they both are very real. The choice is yours.