One night, in March 1997, while deep in meditative prayer, I considered my purpose for being on this earth. I wondered if I had been sent to make a difference in someone else's life. And if so, whose life was I to change? And was there one singular act of special importance I was to accomplish for another? At that point, a message came telepathically into my head.
The telepathic message to me was this: "Your purpose in life is to be that person called Robert." The message was so powerful. As a person who grew up with feelings of severe self-contempt, the message said to me, "You are important and your life is not subordinate to others. You are not here merely to benefit the life of someone you might believe to be more important than you. You are here to do something that no one else can do, and that is, be that person called Robert. It is important that the person Robert be on this earth."
I thanked God for the message. It was one of compassion. It was a message I needed to hear. And over time God has subsequently led me into a fuller understanding. For I have felt the love of Christ for me as a person. He has reached out to me and told me to grasp His hand tightly as He guides me through this difficult life. I am important to Him and He has a purpose for me.
Now, some would see such a message as one of humanism and self-centeredness. And it could easily be so misintepreted. There are too many people in our society who do not want to give of themselves to serve others. They want to horde their money. I see many middle-class couples who refuse to have children because, frankly, they are too self-absorbed to let children impose on their worthless, wasteful lifestyles. They see the "good life" in terms of how much they can get rather than how much they can give.
That is why Jesus said, "If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)
The only way to really live is to lose yourself in Christ. You must make Christ infinitely more important than yourself, even to the point of being willing to literally die for His glory. For in so doing, you will become a child of God. You will gain a true sense of purpose and meaning. Your purpose will be to live for Christ and not self. You will find meaning in being Christ's follower. In return, the Lord Jesus will give you eternal life.
On the other hand, if you attempt to preserve your autonomy by rejecting Christ; if you reject Christianity as being for weaklings, then you will lose. You will lose absolutely everything. Not only will you lose a true sense of meaning, you will lose your soul to Hell.
Turn to Christ and come to know that you are important to Him. You are not an interchangeable unit. As Jesus said, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10:30)
God gave us our selfhood and individuality. Since it is God Who gave us our selfhood, then it stands to reason that the ultimate fulfillment of self comes in knowing the Lord Who made us. By submitting to God and His authority, we gain life for all eternity.
Listen to this parable of the Lord Jesus:
"When thou art bidden of any [man] to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room."
"But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:8-11)
There is so much power in that final phrase. "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
The Apostle Paul had an interesting take on this issue. He said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13) Our goal, then, should not be self-confidence, but Christ-confidence. There is no point in putting your faith in a sinful, fallen, broken human being. Throw away your self-help books, and don't waste your time saying self-affirmations. Instead, put your faith in the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is ready to hold you up and fill you with His Holy Spirit. He forgives you. He stands with you. And He holds your hand. Because of Christ, you can hold your head up high, you can be bold, and you can be confident. He loves you and that is plenty of reason to feel good about yourself.
One night, in March 1997, while deep in meditative prayer, I considered my purpose for being on this earth. I wondered if I had been sent to make a difference in someone else's life. And if so, whose life was I to change? And was there one singular act of special importance I was to accomplish for another? At that point, a message came telepathically into my head.