FREEDOMTRUTH RADIO
Why Do I Exist?
Reading Time: 10 minutes
I think this question has been asked by every human being once they become old enough and mature enough to have a sense of self-awareness. We are hungry to know our purpose. None of us want to be pointless, worthless, or believe we are simply an accident that arrived one day. We hope the answer to this question gives us a sense of value and purpose.
Man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition that his suffering has a meaning. - Viktor Frankl
Because Satan is our ruthless enemy, he always seeks to deceive and discourage us. He knows we seek to understand our meaning, so he tries to use that against us. If he can get us to believe there is no God and we’re all here by accident, he can feed all kinds of deceitful philosophies into our minds that lead us astray and waste our lives. Today, we stand against those lies.
This is a huge topic, but I am going to keep the reasons as simple as I can.
1.) You exist because God wants you to exist. You are NOT an accident.
“Worthy are You, Lord God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by YOUR WILL they exist and were created.” – Revelation 4:11
All of creation exists because God wants it to exist. He created humanity because He wanted to. We are not an accident and we did not descend from apes. We are created by the most-high God! This truth not only applies to all humanity – it also applies to you as an individual person. Yes, you… the person reading this right now. You exist and are alive because God wants you to exist and be alive. Please consider this awesome truth:
“You created my inmost being and you formed me in my mother’s womb. Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to pass!” – Psalm 139:13,16
In your childhood, someone may have cruelly told you, “You were an accident. We didn’t want you.” This is a lie straight from Satan’s mouth. Many people have unprotected sex and never get pregnant. However, in your case, your parents conceived because God wanted you to exist. As you were growing in your momma’s womb, He was there knitting you together. He is an artist, and you were His masterpiece. You may have your daddy’s nose and your momma’s eyes – but you were put together by God. Your personality, your sense of humor, your talents and gifts and abilities… your soul… were all given to you by God. Your life and breath are a gift from God, and He gives them because He wants you to exist. All the days given to you to be alive are recorded in God’s book. They were written before you even existed. You are NOT AN ACCIDENT. You exist because God wants you to be alive. This means He has a purpose. This means He has a plan. Don’t miss out on it!
2.) You were created to experience God’s love. You were created for relationship with God.
The evidence of God’s love is everywhere. God gave you the gift of life because He is love. You were given an amazing body, mind, and soul because He is love. You were given a beautiful earth full of beautiful plants, animals, places, and scenery because He is love. All of creation is designed to meet the needs of mankind. There are animals we tame and keep for our companionship. There are other animals we raise and then eat for our nourishment. Both are a gift from God. There is a season for planting and a season for harvest so mankind has food to eat. Even a beautiful sunrise or sunset is a message of God’s love to you – He is giving you beauty to enjoy that the greatest human artist cannot rival. He is a good Father who gives us life, breath, beauty, and provision because He is love. See it, know it, & experience it.
The unfortunate truth is that, even though God loves us, we rebelled against Him. We chose to go our own way and live life for ourselves. But even in this, He still shows His amazing love:
“While we were rebellious sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
Our rebellion has brought darkness and separation from God, but Jesus came to fix the situation! Jesus paid the price for our sin. He died in our place so we could be forgiven and restored back to God our Father. As the resurrected Savior, He has resurrection power and can make our dead souls come alive. He WANTS to do this for you because HE IS LOVE. All who believe and come to Him for forgiveness and salvation are made brand new. For us, this is a free gift. For Jesus, it cost Him everything. This is true love.
God wants you to experience His love for you. He wants an ETERNAL relationship with you. He wants you to love Him back. We see this in the greatest command of the Bible:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. This is the first and greatest commandment.” – Jesus (Matthew 22:37-38)
This is a HUGE reason why you were created: to experience God’s love, to know Him as your loving Heavenly Father, and to love Him back. You were created to have an eternal relationship with Him. This is why Jesus came, died, and rose again. This is why forgiveness and salvation are offered thru Jesus. Those who miss out on this will always have a big, empty hole inside of them, because they are missing one of the biggest reasons why they were created.
3.) You were created to love
Love is the most beautiful thing on earth. Think of the things that are wrapped up in love: mercy, kindness, generosity, truth, compassion, help, forgiveness, friendship, gentle correction, loyalty, patience, believing the best about others… I could go on and on. Love is beautiful!
You were created to be an agent of love. God created us to love Him (as we saw in point # 2), and to love other people. We see this directly from the Bible:
“Love the Lord your God… This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is just like it: love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. All the truths of God hang on these two commandments.” – Jesus (Matthew 22:36-40)
This world is filled with division, hatred, disagreements, political differences, anger, bitterness, personal grudges, and violence. It just proves that mankind has rebelled against God!
You were created to go against the flow. You were created to love your neighbor and love your enemies. You were created to be a shining light in your circle of influence, showing people what true love looks like. When you begin your relationship with God and start walking with Him, He enables you to supernaturally love others.
“You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’, but I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. If you only love those who treat you nicely, what reward will you get? Even rebellious sinners do that.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:43-46)
Love is healing. Not only does it heal the person receiving the love, but it also heals the person giving the love. People who walk in anger and bitterness fill their hearts with poison. Their minds are filled with darkness. Godly love is the opposite because love heals.
4.) You were created to be a gift to others. Other people benefit from your presence on earth.
People sometimes find this one hard to believe. “What? God made me to be a gift to others? Eh… I don’t think so.” Yes, it is true! God has given each of us unique gifts, talents, abilities, and personalities. Each of us has a special place in the sea of humanity.
Think about this: God uses us to bless other people. God uses us to help other people. You were created to be a gift to others.
I know for sure that my wife is God’s gift to me, and I hope she believes I am God’s gift to her. I think of musicians I enjoy listening to… they touch my heart and create emotions that no one else can. I love their music! They are God’s gift to me. I have an auto mechanic who is honest, intelligent, and skilled. He has serviced my cars for many years… he is God’s gift to me. There are restaurants I love to go to and enjoy awesome food… those chefs are God’s gift to me. I am so thankful for my parents and the love and training they gave me as I grew up… they are God’s gift to me.
Do you get the point?
When you discover and develop the gifts and talents God has given you and use those abilities to bless other people, you are doing one of the things God created you for! It’s extremely satisfying and fulfilling. Use your talents to love and serve other people in practical ways. When you do this, you are a gift to other people. You are making this world a better place.
However, if you choose to live selfishly, if you never discover your gifts and abilities, if you never develop your gifts and use them to serve others… you are neglecting your calling. You are missing out on one of the greatest joys of life. You will be empty and dissatisfied with life.
5.) You were created to glorify God.
Our sinful hearts don’t like this one. We think, “I need to live for me, or else I will be unsatisfied!” I would argue the exact opposite is true. I would argue living for yourself is the most selfish, empty, dissatisfying life a person can choose. That’s why we’re all so empty! By contrast, living for God’s glory is satisfying. Hear the words of Jesus:
"Whoever lives life for themselves will lose it, but whoever gives their life to Me will find it." - Jesus (Matthew 16:25)
Please understand the synergy between all these reasons why you exist. Please realize that when you…
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Experience God’s love, love Him back, and enter into an eternal relationship with Jesus…
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Choose to live in love towards others (neighbors and enemies)…
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Choose to love and serve others using your God-given gifts and abilities…
… you are giving God glory!!! A life submitted to Jesus in this way is extremely glorifying to God. It’s also extremely fulfilling and satisfying. Don’t get confused by “How do I glorify God?” Just focus on the three points shown above, and you’ll be doing it! It will come naturally.
6.) You were created to be a display of God’s wisdom and power.
“The celestial heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the skies show His craftsmanship. Day after day, they demonstrate God’s power, and night after night they make Him known. Without speaking a word or making a sound, they proclaim God’s glory to all the earth. His eternal presence is shown to all the world.” – Psalm 19:1-4
An artistic masterpiece is an artist’s glory. What is true about the skies, the weather, the sun and moon and stars is also true about you - you display the glory of God. You are amazing. Your human body is an incredible creation of organs, blood vessels, fluids, nervous systems, muscle and tendon, cartilage and bone, a brain with scorching fast neural networks, eyeballs that rival the most complex cameras, and ears that rival the most complex microphones. You are a living soul that can feel emotions, make decisions, and have dreams for the future. You are a living spirit that can commune with God. All the angels look at you in wonder and give glory to Almighty God for the awesomeness of His design and creation. You are a living display of God’s wisdom, creativity, knowledge, and power. Whether you hate God or love God… whether you believe in God or are an atheist… your mere existence displays God’s glory because you are His creation. You are God’s masterpiece.
7.) You were created to display God’s image.
“And God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness…” – Genesis 1:26
This verse gives incredible revelation about God, and about us. God is three-in-one: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. During creation God consulted with Himself and said, “Let Us make man in Our image”. So, man is also three-in-one: we possess a body, a soul, and an eternal spirit. During creation, God talked to Himself. He was consulting with Himself about what to do. Do you ever talk to yourself? No animal does that. It shows that you are peculiar and unique amongst creation. You were created in the image of God. You are an eternal soul & spirit living in a temporary body.
God is a creator, and so are you. God is a builder, and so are you. God is an artist, and so are you. God uses wisdom, intellect, and reason… and so should you (even though a lot of people don’t!). God is love, and you should walk in love (even though a lot of people don’t!). I could go on and on. This is what sets humanity apart from the animals. You are created in the image of God. It makes you special and superior to the rest of creation.
8.) Mankind was created to rule the earth.
This one may surprise you a little bit. “What? We were created to rule the earth?” Yep. That’s exactly what the Bible says. Check out what God says in Genesis:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all wild animals, and over all creatures that move along the ground.’ So, God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them. As male and female He created them. God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number. Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and every living creature that moves on the ground.’” – Genesis 1:26-28
God created mankind to rule the earth, subdue it, and manage it well. Unfortunately, mankind does not always manage it well… but that doesn’t change the fact that we were created to rule the earth. We were not created for the earth; the earth was created for us. We have authority over it, and that authority was given to us by God.
Let’s apply this at the personal level.
Whenever people study the sciences so they can better understand the earth, animals, and the laws of nature – they are walking in this calling. Whenever farmers farm the land or ranchers raise their cattle – they are walking in this calling. Whenever roughnecks drill for oil or miners mine for precious minerals – they are walking in this calling. Whenever the Corps of Engineers dams a river to create a lake, so a city can have water – they are walking in this calling. Whenever a veterinarian takes care of animals and makes sure they are healthy – they are walking in this calling. This is a short list, but it makes my point. These people are understanding, subduing, and managing nature so it meets the needs of mankind. The earth exists for our purposes.
A good manager does not abuse and trash his property, but a good manager recognizes it is good and right to use the property for his benefit. We should seek to protect and preserve the quality of the earth, but we should also use it responsibly to meet the needs of mankind. This is why God gave it to us.
9.) You were created to work.
Lazy people miss out on so much! People who couch surf and mooch off their parents (or friends) miss out on so much! People who steal rather than working miss out on so much! God gave you good gifts, talents, and abilities. When those go unused and undeveloped, it creates emptiness.
Work is the opportunity to serve others. Work is the opportunity to develop your gifts and abilities. Work, when it is done well and meets other people’s needs, makes this world a better place. Work can communicate love. Work can glorify God. Work provides you with money, which helps meet your own needs, but also enables you to help other people. This is all from God.
God created you to be productive, not unproductive. It's important to realize that work looks very different for different types of people. A musician’s work is very different from an engineer’s work. A stay-at-home mom (who may have the most important job of all!) will be doing very different tasks from an auto mechanic. We all have different callings, gifts, and abilities – work will be unique for each person. The point is… work! It’s not something to avoid. It’s something to embrace. When you are doing the work God created you for, you will love it. It will be fulfilling and satisfying.
If you hate your work, you are doing the wrong thing. It’s time to pick a new path.
10.) You were created to procreate.
My goodness, I can only imagine the jokes that come from this one. “I was created to have sex? I was created to make some babies? Well, let’s get it on! I want to obey God!” Ha! I admire your devotion to God’s commands.
Jokes aside, let’s look at what God commanded Adam and Eve (and all humanity):
“So, God created mankind in His image; male and female He created them. God blessed them and commanded them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and every living creature that moves on the ground.’” – Genesis 1:27-28
In the next chapter, God also says:
“’For this reason, a man shall leave his own parents and be united to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.’ (a reference to sex) Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” – Genesis 2:24-25
God created male & female. God created marriage. God created sex. God created procreation through sex. God commands humanity to be fruitful and multiply. Unfortunately, our sinfulness has so grossly twisted these good things. The Bible is very clear that sex is intended for the marriage relationship. Sex without commitment is very dangerous to a person’s soul because it involves the most intimate parts of your body, mind, heart, and soul without the safety of marriage. Sex is fire, and God created it to burn inside marriage. God created it to produce children. Any belief that ignores or contradicts these facts is a perversion of nature (God’s creation).
Also, God intends for parenthood to be inside the marriage relationship. A child's best outcome happens when they are raised inside a marriage. Family studies in Psychology/Psychiatry clearly and repeatedly show that children are happiest, healthiest, and most likely to thrive when living with both their parents in a 2-parent household. Science backs up and supports God's wisdom for the family!
These statements are not meant to condemn anyone. I do NOT condemn single moms who are doing their best to try and make ends meet. I do NOT condemn people who have had sex outside marriage. Life happens. I am merely stating what is true. All people should strive to do things God’s way because it is the best way. It produces the best outcomes.
We are all guilty of following our emotions and desires without considering the consequences of our actions. We rebel and go our own way, but Jesus forgives us when we come back to Him. He teaches us to live in a new way, helping us re-align our lives with God's truth. Come to Him!
Closing Thought
My friend, I hope this article helps you understand that you are not an accident! God is real, and His purposes and plans for you are real. Those who walk in His truth are able to find purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in life. Those who don’t will live their life chasing shadows.