The Single Most Important Thing You Were Made For

We were made for single-mindedness. The heart was not made to be ripped and torn and switched and altered from one focus to another. It was made to love God, its creator, and with that love to release an overflowing, pure and rich desire to make him known. And by being known, I do not mean it in the sense of telling others of his glory – which is certainly a part of it – but also in a deep communion that surges through our soul. Through our continual knowledge of God, we might be made more holy and more singularly focused on what matters most in life, which is him. Perhaps it is why this verse spoke to me so intensely when I was in the process of giving my life to God:

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

There was a time period in my life that I would not go a week without reading that Bible verse. It was like a magnet, drawing me in with an invisible force. Through those many meditations, I often wondered if Paul was writing that with a dramatic tone, like a poet does when they are trying to illustrate a point emphatically without meaning it in its fullest intent. But I do not think that. I think that especially for Paul, who did lose so many things in the name of Christ, means those words in complete truth. And more than that, he means them as complete truth for every single one of us – that we would recognize that nothing matters in comparison to knowing Christ. It is the single most important point of our lives. The reason for our existence. 

It might sound crazy if you haven’t considered that fully. From the outside in, I guess it does seem a bit wild. But the beauty of the Bible is that it gives you truth, promises and warnings, all of which are able to be tested for their reality. If you don’t believe something in the Bible, you can test it to be true, and I have full confidence you will find it to be more than just a fact, but a personally transforming book that becomes alive in you. Because the Bible, just like the purpose of our lives, is there to help us know God. Through knowing God, we make ourselves come alive and grow deeper in the knowledge of him, the creator and sustainer of all things. We become what we are destined for.