What is the meaning of life? My answer is spiritual formation.
From Willard’s book -
“Spiritual formation, without regard to any specifically religious context or tradition, is the process by which the human spirit or will is given a definite “form” or character. It is a process that happens to everyone. The most despicable as well as the most admirable of persons have had a spiritual formation. Terrorists as well as saints are the outcome of spiritual formation. Their hearts have been formed. Period.”
We are all formed in one-way or another. We can become more like Christ or less depending on our circumstances and most importantly our choices. It is through this process that God is creating something. What that something is, or why God wants it created, I do not know. I do know that it is the whole point of life though.
My thought is that God is creating creatures with free will that are capable of having a personal relationship with Him. The question is could God make this creature in any other way?
Take making a cake. Or a pie since I like pie more. I can make a pie, but I cannot make a pie appear out of thin air. There is a process you have to go through. You have to gather the ingredients, put them together in the right combination, and cook them for the correct time at the right temperature.
Could God make a pie just appear out of thin air? Perhaps, He is all-powerful after all. Could God make a fully sentient being with free will that loved Him and wanted to have a personal relationship with him appear out of thin air? Maybe. Maybe not.
5 comments:
Mind if I throw out the questions?
So then.....is Earth God's lab? The thing I wonder....most experients, or development of subjects, has a benefit to the one performing the tests....what's God's benefit....or is there one?
I have pondered the question a few times over the course of my life, and I have never reached a definitive conclusion, other than that each life gives itself meaning. That is, I do not believe that there is a universal purpose for man's existence that is all-encompassing and applicable beyond each individual self.
Nice insight, though, and thanks for sharing with us.
I think the scripture that comes to mind from your blog is Romans 8:29--"Those He foreknew he predestined that they should be conformed to the image of His Son; that He might be the firstborn among many brothers." That is what it means to embrace the purpose of God and ultimately life; to be conformed by grace over time to the very image of Christ. God's purpose can and should become our purpose as well.
I'm so glad you are embracing the purpose of God.
Ok...so I have thought about your question many times before. I think that God originally did create a sentient being that loved Him, and wanted a personal relationship with Him. This being Adam and Eve. Though by their sin, in which they used free will, they corrupted what I would call the love of innocence. Because of this sin and our free will we must now work to gain back that relationship with God instead of it just being there. Arguably Adam and Eve could have decided at any time not to love God. I see it though that if you had the uncorrupted relationship and love they shared with Him it would take that act of sin to break one from it. I hope that provides some thought... I am long winded for sure. Look forward to more of your thoughts my good friend!
To Marcus - Thanks for posting! God’s benefit may simply be the relationship with us. Don’t really know. Don’t really want to paint God as a lonely creator longing for love though. I hope it all becomes clear when we are with Him, but I have patience toward that one particular aspect of the journey. What are you thinking? Might need to have a coffee for this one...
To Kev - Thanks for reading and posting. I just think there has got to be some larger purpose for this world. That was my problem with Buddhism. If you look at the Buddha’s teaching a certain way there is nothing at the heart of the practice.
To Keith – I just re-read your post and it really hit me. I think I’m on to something here. Thanks for posting. And thanks for being there with me on this journey toward Chiristlikeness.
To Monte – That is a good point, and an interesting question. Was the relationship Adam and Eve had with God perfect? Did God know they would sin when He gave them free will? He must have. He is all times and all places. And that’s where my thoughts kind of start from. God knew that we would always sin, and that in order to create the kind of being He ultimately wanted He’d have to create the world we see. Thanks for reading and posting!
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