Why Is It So Hard to Live A Meaningful Life? (And What We Can Do About It) - Part 3

When Victor Frankl was arrested and thrown into a Nazi concentration camp, the manuscript he had been working on was ripped from him and destroyed. Having written a couple of books myself, I know how much it takes to labour through the process of putting your thoughts on paper into book form. But I can't possibly know how it felt to have all that work taken away from him, especially under those circumstances.

That manuscript was the basis of the now classic book, "Man's Search for Meaning" which I have been referring to over the past few weeks. This book has been a significant contribution not only to the literary world but to anyone who is exploring what it means to be human, and how we can live a life of meaning and purpose, even in spite of intense suffering.

In it he shares many of his experiences of surviving the brutality of that horrific time during the second world war, and I've often wondered what his original manuscript contained and how different the final result was from the original because of his experiences in captivity.

Some of his conclusions to the question of how to live a meaningful life, include the following...

(1) That we experience being part of a loving community (what we looked at last week)

and

(2) That we have a project to be working on; something creative that you and I can contribute to the world. In other words, be part of something that goes way beyond our own wellbeing and is intended for the benefit others.

This can also mean engaging in work that is meaningful to us, but again, ultimately for the sake of someone else.

In this age of constant comparison (usually via social media) we get caught up in not only comparison but competition, trying to outdo the next person. When in reality, we should be taking a closer look at who we are, how we are designed and what we are best suited to be doing with the talents, gifts, abilities and passions we carry within us.

This is in large part why I wrote Vantage Point: Five Perspectives to Live a Better Story

But better yet, for those of us who are followers of Jesus, we can be assured that God has things for us to accomplish in this world.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Now you might be saying to yourself, "I'm not special, I don't have anything to offer anyone."

But I would disagree with you.

Yes, there is a corporate view in mind here, "We are God's workmanship..." and collectively we should love our neighbour, tell the truth, help the poor, widow and orphans etc.

But there is a personal application as well, where each one of us, again, by virtue of the unique abilities we have been given, can put them into practice and make a difference in the lives of people around us. And it's here where we can find meaning and purpose.

Frankl was determined to survive Nazi war camps so he could share his message with the world through his book. And I dare say, none of us have that kind of opposition to what we have to offer. Perhaps ours is internal rather than external.

So let me ask you...

Q. Are you working on something...anything that is a result of your God-given talents and abilities? Why or why not?

Is it fear? Uncertainty? Apathy? Discouragement?

Don't let any of these things stand in the way of you pursuing the things God has designed for you.

But if you're feeling Stuck? Maybe I can help.

Until next time - Dan