²⁸… Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory.

Concentrate and read again. Paul is not saying that he wishes every person on earth to share in God’s glory. No, he says everybody will share in God’s glory and can look forward to it. It’s a given that each one of us has been put on earth for a reason. God has a purpose for you and me and every other person here on earth. The only question is whether we achieve that purpose.

Do you know why you are here on earth? Does your life have significance and meaning? Or do you feel as if you’re stuck in one place, never moving forward? Do you get up every morning, do your thing, and before you know it, you’re just getting back into bed again?

Maybe you haven’t found the purpose of your life. Just saying.

When parents have a problem, children often say: “Really, Dad, stop complaining. Build a bridge and get over it!” Funny, but not always so easy.

But maybe this is what Paul wants to tell us today – that maybe, if we want to stop this aimless wandering around, we should build a bridge to be able to make sense of it all. Maybe you and I should stop rushing around now, look where we are and where we are going. Is God’s purpose for my life the same as what I have in mind for my life?

And maybe that’s the reason we so often struggle to live a meaningful life. True happiness is found along the road that God intended us to take – I think we’re going to struggle to experience real happiness if we’re rushing along our own paths.

God put a calling inside each of us. That is why we’re on earth. If we miss the ball we won’t achieve a lot of success. Any success we do have will be short-lived and fake.

Every person has a purpose in life. We were not made simply to be couch potatoes in life on earth. The problem is that either we hide or ignore that longing to achieve our purpose extremely well, or we focus on the wrong places.

But how do I know what my purpose is? Paul also gives some advice here: ²⁸The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you. So therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple.

You can try your utmost to build a bridge to achieve your purpose, but if you do not have an intimate relationship with Jesus, your bridge will look like some bridges we know: stopping midway and never reaching the other side.

Jesus will help you achieve your godly purpose. Without Him, your chances are less than zero. Are you looking for true happiness? Are you looking for true peace? Do you want to be truly fulfilled? Do you want to get to the other side? Well, then fall on your knees and start working on your relationship with Jesus. Jesus will show you exactly what God intended when He made you. But even more. Jesus will help you build your bridge so that you can reach the other side and be able to achieve and live your purpose in life.

Scripture

Colossians1:28-29

Reflection

Do you know what your purpose on earth is?

How do you live it every day?

How intimate is your relationship with Jesus?

Prayer

Lord, I realise now why my life feels so unfulfilled. I realise that I’m not focusing on your purpose for my life. I also know that my relationship with You is not intimate enough and that I should spend much more time with You. Please help me do that! Amen.