“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?  Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” -Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

Such a passage is a cynical start on what the true meaning of life is, but I think King Solomon was right in saying everything is meaningless since, without a purpose, life would be so. Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon goes through many possible conclusions such as “be merry to your heart’s content” before he says being a faithful servant of God is the only thing in life that has meaning, and what we do to contribute or not contribute to God’s Kingdom will not go unseen.

Why would God give any of us the lives we’re living if we didn’t have a purpose?

I have to say that I love my life, and I wouldn’t change it for anyone else’s. My childhood and teenage years were an odd mix of extreme joy and deep pain. Growing up in the church did not shield me from enduring the consequences of my parents’ divorce and remarriages, bullying, sexual abuse, and the list goes on.

On the other hand, I’ve known the joy of serving others in the foreign mission field, volunteering (in general), becoming a Christian at age 12, and having God use me to bring two friends of mine to Christ. That joyful list goes on too. So, why did God give me a life with such trials and blessings? What is His purpose? For all of us, once again, I agree with Solomon that our purpose is to become God’s faithful servants and to contribute to the Kingdom of God. I look at my two friends who are now Christians, and I think of what Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Consider these verses as well:

• “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4)
• “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes” (Psalm 37:7).

To be still before the Lord while enduring trials with joy so that I may become complete as a Christian able to further His Kingdom is one of the most encouraging thoughts I’ve ever had as a young woman because I know what Jesus has done for me in order that I may be with Him, and I want to share that with others.

Without God, my life would just seem like a series of unfortunate and fortunate events with no meaningful conclusion. Yet, my life has been used to glorify God and share the gospel. I have been able to use my experiences to connect with women who have had similar experiences, and through growing friendships, find ways to talk about Christ. I have a purpose, and nothing I do or endure will go unnoticed before God. Such a conclusion goes for all of us; We are God’s creatures and meaningful to Him.  Everything we do and go through all plays a part in the advancement of God’s Word. It is simply up to us to acknowledge this, be still, and listen as we face life as women with a purpose: God’s purpose.

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments,  for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment,  including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

By Daniela McCormick-Rojas