The Goal of Life

Recently CBS Sunday Morning interviewed 16 time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force to talk about his life and family as he chases an unprecedented 17th world championship. During the interview he was asked if he ever thinks about retirement. His answer, “ No, I don’t want to go home. I got a big ole house I ought to go sit in and I don’t care about it, this (drag racing) is my house this is where I live.”

During my military career, I watched a lot of people retire. It seemed that many of them only lasted for a few years, maybe 10 or so, before I’d hear or read about them dying. Some because they had a serious illness or complications from an operation. It surprised me how many died that were literally doing nothing with their lives. What a waste of a valuable resource…life.

People often ask me if I’m going to retire some day. My answer, “What would I do, sit around the house and wait to die? Besides, how does one decide the call of God on their lives is over? It doesn’t stop, it may morph into a different expression, but it’s not over until you go home to be with Him.”

One of the biggest lies of the enemy is that we deserve something for all of our hard work in life. The goal should be to retire to the white sands of resort X in state Y and live out our life in a lap of luxury. When I hear that kind of discussion, it makes me cringe because I can only think about how much will be lost when that person walks away from life.

I can’t imagine not being ‘on the road’ doing what the Lord has called me to do. My one desire is to complete the work He has given me. My passion for people and the sport of drag racing and the love for my Lord is what drives me. To what end? Not my call, that’s His.

What has the Lord called you to do with your life? If you’re not sure, then it’s time to talk to Poppa…pray, wait, listen and then step out in faith.

Blessings

The Goal of Life
by Os Hillman

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

For many people in the world, real meaning in life is the next vacation, career success, or stepping up the income ladder. It is a life based on pleasurable experiences. Many a human being has toiled their whole life to gain a pleasurable lifestyle only to find a life that is empty and meaningless. You only have to watch television for one evening to discover that advertisers want us to believe this is the goal of life. The work-to-play theme is consistent with most advertising messages.

Solomon was a man who had nothing withheld from his appetite. He was a great builder, a great businessman, and a great lover of women. Every imaginable pleasure was his. Nevertheless, he was to discover that these things alone could not satisfy the human soul.

A recent trip to a beautiful island left me grateful that God had allowed me to understand the futile trap of the work-to-play lifestyle. It is great to experience times of refreshing and visit beautiful places as long as we don’t fall into the trap of thinking that these experiences equal a meaningful life. God’s beautiful creation can so easily become a prison of emptiness if Jesus is not in the center of it. The apostle Paul said there is only one way to find meaning and purpose in life:

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe…”(Ephesians 1:17-19).

Knowing Christ brings the only real meaning and purpose to the human soul. Spend time today getting to know the Lord in a more intimate way. Then you will discover real meaning and purpose in life.