The Purpose of Living

The energy behind most of our behavior (particularly strange or abnormal behavior) is an independent attempt to satiate the deep longings which God—and God alone—can satisfy. If you want to know a biblical reason why people do the things they do, then keep these thoughts in mind.

A man said to me some time ago: “Why do I browbeat my wife and make demands on her which I know are not loving? And why, despite my best efforts to change, do I fall back into my usual patterns?” I told him: “Your legitimate longings for impact and respect are not being met by God, and as you can’t function very well when these longings go unmet, you set about trying to get your wife to meet them.” He saw the point, asked God to forgive him for drinking at the wrong well, and turned in a fresh way to Christ for life and power and reality.

But what about the person who goes in the other direction and withdraws from others, manifesting such symptoms as extreme shyness and some forms of depression? This person is someone who has little awareness of their thirst being quenched by God—hence a degree of inner emptiness—and is motivated to avoid moving toward involvement with others for fear that he or she might be rejected.

Self-enhancement (a selfish attempt to quench our own thirst) or self-rejection—these are the two styles of relationship which characterize many Christians’ lives. And both are a violation of the law of love.

Further Study

Jn 13:1-35; 15:12; Mt 22:39; 1Th 3:12

How do we show that we belong to Jesus?

What was Paul’s desire for the Thessalonians?