To Find Your Direction In Life, Or To Follow Christ?

I was talking with a brother today over lunch. He told me he had just left church - not only Hope, but also church. One thing that he said I still remember: "A lot of the brothers and sisters in church don't have a sense of direction in life. When I ask them what they want to do in life, besides the spiritual aspects of their lives, they don't have any idea. Essentially, it's 'I'll do what God wants me to do.'"

So I was chewing on that remark for a while. And I think I see what he means. Of course, there were other things that he was unhappy about, but I ain't sharing it here of course.

However, I think... I must disagree with what I understand to be the underlying premise about having a direction in life. It's true that it's very important to have a purpose and direction in life, to know what you want to do. But... like all good gifts, it is possible for it to become corrupted.

The world says, "Find what you want to do in life, and follow your heart." And so all those Christians who have received Christ, and found their old worldviews radically challenged, and turned upside-down, are told, even by other well-meaning brothers and sisters, that they must have a purpose and vision in life.

The thing is... the world expects us to be independent, to 'boldly go where no man has gone before'. With the worldly pragmatism of the Romans, the world praises those who have it made. They put on a pedestals those who, in Winston Churchill's words, are 'masters and captains of our souls.' You who shall never surrender, we salute thee!

It is possible even to import such a worldly mindset into religion. To bring an expectation that one should have - in unspoken terms - a career in religion. To rise through the ranks, from being a member, to core team, to pastor, to church-planter... wow! Your spiritual stature has increased! Level up!

It's not wrong to want to know the purpose and meaning of your life. As the Teacher said in Ecclesiastes, "[God] has placed eternity into the hearts of men..." That's why "The Purpose-Driven Life" is an international best-seller, even in the non-Christian settings.

For the very title itself speaks of that ancient abyss in the human heart. "Deep calls to deep." An aching void that cries out, "Surely there must be more to life than this." And for the Christian too: "More than just going to church, to caregroup, to serving in ministry... surely there was something more to this when I decided to become a Christian?"

The thing is... we need to learn to let go of this desire for a direction, a vision first. We need to desire Christ first and foremost. The world says, "Find a direction in life, and follow it." But Jesus said, "Follow ME."

You see, the purpose of life is not even about finding out what God wants you to. First and foremost... follow HIM. As St. Augustine wrote, "Our hearts are restless, until they find rest in Thee."

And I think that's something that we may have neglected to teach the younger ones. To learn to lose everything, throw all their hopes and dreams, and lose themselves utterly into the arms of Christ. To be abandoned unto God.

We need to teach them to set Christ as Lord in their hearts. Like how Paul put it so simply: "But whatever was to my gain, I now consider them as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ my Lord."

We focus so much on getting our younger ones to do great and mighty things. But I think we've forgotten the first love of it all... LOVE GOD TOTALLY.

And I think it's all the more sweetly ironic, because God has given me a very clear direction and calling now, after all these years. I remember it was a far cry from when one bro last time asked me what I wanted to do in life. And I remember the shame that one non-Christian threw scorn upon me for not having a sense of direction last time. I felt so ashamed, as though I'd failed God. But thank God that through all these years... I remember one key advice from a wise brother: "Keep your desire for God central."

We want God to show us His direction and plans for our lives, but we don't want Him to be the absolute Lord and Centre of our lives. Dear friends, how can this be? Without a pivot, how can the Compass swing to show us the way to go?

So that's why I've come to realise that perhaps it's not so bad after all, this phrase: "I'm not sure... but I'll do whatever God wants me to do."

I think that's the kind of attitude that the Lord is looking for. A heart of willing surrender. First, love God, and everything will then follow. Follow Christ, and He will make you fishers of men. Deny yourself and take up your cross. Though the world considers it utter foolishness, that you have no idea what you want to do, save for waiting upon God to tell you... that is the way of the Cross. "Let this mind be in you..." For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoeever loses his life for Jesus and for the Gospel will find it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul?

And come to think of it, there are a few brothers, who, though in the eyes of the world, seem to be "directionless"... but however, their depth of character and love for God have shown me the way. They've set example for me. I've seen a better way to live - and it's in this church. For my spiritual family. In this despised, outcast, rag-tag army, I've seen a generation of a broken people rising up in faith.
Though my brothers and sisters go about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated, though they wander in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground -
though they work in lowly paid jobs, though they throw aside the riches and opportunities of the world, though they give up chances to serve in high positions, though they look like they look like they have no sense of direction, save for "wherever God calls me to go, I'll go..." - I say the world is not worthy of them.

So I want to throw my lot in with these disgraced people. I want to stand together with them with one heart - to love God and love one another. And to do the work He wants us to do. Let us, then, go to Jesus outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

---

Added:
I think I have to clarify something here. I'm not saying that we shouldn't therefore be in the world. No, not so. We should aim to glorify God with everything we do. But let's not become consumed with the desire for "success", be it in the "secular" or the "religious" sense.

Galatians 5:6
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

Rather, what I believe is that we must take extra care to make sure that nothing else ever overtakes our first love for Christ in our lives. Not even the finest things that we intend to do for God. Our relationship with God comes first and foremost. And then our relationships with others. Love God with everything you've got and everything that's in you, and love your neighbour as yourself. The first and second greatest commandments.

Added:
I had an impromptu catch-up with Yufen today. And we both talked... and we ended up at the same conclusion independently! :) Cool... Yup! So let's not put the cart before the horse - let's seek to follow CHRIST first and foremost, with this attitude "To live is Christ, and to die is gain," and then He will show us what He has in mind for us.