The way to make the greatest improvements in your life is to start with the biggest things, the things that impact your life the most.
- If you want to improve your finances, start with your housing, car, or food not by looking for a cheaper brand of toothpaste.
- If you want to improve your relationships, start with your spouse, kids, or closest friends not the lady down the street who you wave at twice a month when your paths happen to cross.
- If you want to improve your time management, start with work, recurring tasks, or the way you schedule each day not looking for faster drying Easter egg paint.
Makes sense, right?
So, if you want to make the greatest impact in all of these areas and more, I suggest you start with the God question.
God: It Could Be Big
My purpose for writing this post is not to convince you to believe what I believe about God, but instead to challenge you to go on a serious quest for spiritual truth. After all, there are a lot of people who are convinced that
- God determines what happens to you after you die.
- God offers forgiveness.
- God can heal or inflict suffering on people.
- God can provide for people’s physical needs.
- God can provide guidance on decisions.
- God can help people overcome pain, loss, depression, guilt.
- God can give peace, comfort and happiness.
- God created each person for a purpose, and by joining him in that purpose we can experience a life of unmatched meaning and fulfillment.
If I had a friend who said he knew a guy who could do all that, you can be darn sure I would be asking all sorts of questions in an effort to figure out if it was true or not and as a part of that try to convince my friend to introduce me to this dude.
If you’re not really sure whether God exists, you don’t have time NOT to look into it. Or if you believe in God but are not really sure what he’s like or if/how he might interact with people, you don’t have time NOT to go on a spiritual quest. Research different religions. Talk to friends who take their faith seriously. Pray and ask God if he’s real to show himself to you in some way.
I’m open about the fact that I’m a Christian. If you’d like to research Christianity in a modern, logical way two books I recommend are Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. If you prefer a more post-modern, experiential approach I suggest Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller and Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl by N.D. Wilson. If you’re of another faith, feel free to post a comment with resources that will help people investigate it.
So, where are you on the God question? Do you agree or disagree that it’s a crucial starting point? Are you ready to embark on a serious quest for spiritual truth?
Edit 1/24: If you believe you’ve the God question, continue reading Unfinished Business with God.
3) Trade up <– Things You Don’t Have Time NOT to Do –> 5) Create a Personal Mission Statement
Excellent post, Paul. Good timing, too, for asking these questions. Mid-January is when I start to lag on those New Year commitments.
Thanks Barbara!
Paul, those are some heavy books. For a lay reader I would recommend the book, “God’s Big Picture.” Can’t think of author off top of my head but reveals how the whole Bible start to finish points to Jesus. Blessings,
Thanks Natasha. I appreciate the recommendation.