You know, there is life after death. If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve probably noticed all the wanderlust pictures paired with hedonistic quotes like, “Life is too short to…” and “You only live once, so you should…” The idea behind these quotes is that we don’t have long to live on earth, so we must squeeze every possible pleasure out of life. So, we scroll through these pictures and read endless articles filled with bucket lists of things you just have to “try before you die.” After all, you never know when you’re going to die. It would seem, then, that in light of that, we should do anything we want, as long as it makes us happy, and document all those memories the best we can. But is that what God intended for us?
The problem is, if you only pursue the adventure, you won’t find the treasure. But if you pursue the treasure, you might just find it and the whole pursuit becomes a great adventure.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44
While God has instilled in us a quest for joy, pleasure, and beauty, to pursue only the temporary things found in adventure is sure to disappoint in the end. The problem with temporary adventure is that it is fleeting. No matter how much you enjoy it, it only numbs your senses and leaves you wanting more. The sunset you see now won’t be visible once your eyesight fails. The music you enjoy now might only play in your memory after you lose your hearing.
Eventually, believe it or not, moving from the sofa to the bed will be considered adventurous by your frail and weakened body. We hope to live long enough to experience all that life has to offer, but we have only limited time here on Earth. That’s why our appetite for eternal treasure can never be satisfied by the crumbs of temporary pleasure found in adventure.
Think about it: we all know someone who only lives to get the bigger house and the better car. They always talk about the latest vacation, places they’ve visited, and the foods they’ve tried. No matter how many experiences they have, they are always searching for more. Happiness, it seems, is always just around the corner. But they never seem to find it. Their deeper reality is that they live life by themselves, for themselves. They were going to write that book and take that mission trip, but spas, cocktails, and comfort got in the way. They planned to serve God one day but never seemed to get around to it because the temporary adventure was too distracting to pursue the real thing they craved—namely, eternal treasure.
I can understand when an atheist is passionate about squeezing everything out of this life—it’s consistent with their worldview, believing this present world is all there is. But I am baffled when Christians take the same approach, saying things like, “Life is too short to…” This silently tells the world that their highest admiration is for things that are temporary and sometimes materialistic. Even worse, I cringe when some Christians excuse bad or immoral behavior with, “Hey, you only live once…” False. The truth is, you might only die once, but you live forever. Your relationship with God will determine where you spend eternity, and how faithfully you served Him will determine the kind of eternal reward you receive.
So ask yourself: What is the ultimate purpose of your life? Is it just to go on trips and take pictures? Is it temporary adventure or eternal treasure? You are free to enjoy adventure, but if that’s all your life is about, then at the end, you might have a colorful Instagram account but face a colorless eternity, separated from all the things you passionately craved here on Earth but never fully experienced. By rejecting God and His kingdom as your treasure, you also choose, by default, to separate yourself from all He has created, because what He has made is meant to stir our passion and hunger for Him and the eternal. That is what Jesus meant when He said, “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
I encourage you with the words of C.S. Lewis: “Aim at Heaven, and you will get Earth ‘thrown in,’ but if you aim at Earth, you will get neither.” To aim at heaven is to put things in your life in their proper place. When God is the ultimate object of your affection, you don’t have to suffer from “fear of missing out” anxiety. You don’t need to dread your youth slipping away or rush to catalog every experience on Instagram; you will have eternity to attend to every beauty. Instead, you will focus on pursuing God’s kingdom as a treasure, and that pursuit will be a great adventure. You will experience the joy of loving people unconditionally, without strings attached. You will witness the beauty of broken lives being restored and made whole again. You will experience an eternal adventure and stories that begin with Almighty God and “I,” instead of “me, myself, and I.”
Great things happen when people make decisions with an eternal perspective. God gave us the privilege to partner with Him to change the world and impact eternity. When we do, we embark on the greatest adventure we can ever experience. C.S. Lewis also said, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”
If by now you are convinced you want to pursue the kingdom of God here on Earth and God Himself for eternity, here are some practical steps you can take right now to clarify your path:
First, write your life mission statement. Seek God’s will by spending time in prayer and studying His Word. Then write down the life mission God reveals to you a short paragraph including your most important values, convictions, and principles. Whenever you face a significant decision, review your mission statement and ask if your choice aligns with it. A mission grounded in Godly wisdom will reveal that many things you think you need to do are worthless in light of eternity.
Second, write specific resolutions for your life. Think about your mission statement and write clear resolutions—decisions to do or not do certain things. Like road signs and boundaries, resolutions help identify problem areas and keep your focus on the goal. Begin each with “Resolved to…” and elaborate. When at a crossroads, consult your resolutions to choose the right path. For inspiration, consider Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions, which guided his life (you can find them here).
Finally, create a life plan. The saying goes, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Write your short- and long-term goals. Goals help you push through difficult, tedious tasks by focusing on the prize and the reasons behind your efforts. Write down how you’ll know when you’ve achieved them. But make sure your goals focus on gaining treasure, not just experiencing adventure. Consider rewarding yourself for each goal attained; it will motivate you to work harder and reach your destination faster.
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