The Meaning of Life

Dr. William Breitbart of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center of New York developed a psychological treatment program for stage 3 and 4 cancer patients called “meaning-centered psychotherapy.” The purpose of the program is to help cancer patients find meaning and purpose for their lives during the time between their diagnoses and their eventual deaths, whenever that might be.

Dr. Breitbart’s program is based in part on the writings of Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist who survived the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. Dr. Frankl emerged from his horrific experience with the conviction that people can endure any type of suffering if they know their lives have meaning. When applied to cancer patients, this principle helps them endure the physically and emotionally draining experiences of chemotherapy, strained relationships, and facing their own mortality.

The question of life’s true meaning has perplexed many people throughout time, but the Christian should know without hesitation that his or her life has meaning. The author of Ecclesiastes spends the entire book lamenting about the futility of life, because no matter what happens during a person’s life, death eventually comes.

Death comes to the proud and humble alike. Death is the great equalizer. However, after 12 chapters of lamentations, the author sums up the book with a powerful declaration about life’s meaning: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

The Bible’s position on the meaning of life is simple. Our purpose is to obey God. Why? Without this, we are all subject to death and will be erased from memory forever. With God, however, we have the hope of a life to come that begins at Christ’s return. Therefore, the biggest purpose of this life is to ensure, as much as possible, that our death will not be our end.

Today, why don’t you ask Jesus to strengthen your relationship with Him? Having the assurance of salvation and eternal life is the greatest achievement this world has to offer.

Key Bible Texts

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV)