The demands of modern life make it difficult for us to strike a harmonious balance in the development of our spiritual, intellectual, and physical aspects. The pressures of life force us to give more weight to our intellectual growth, for that is what counts in our school career and finding a good job. Our psychical side is considered to be important for good health. I value exercise and sports for my physical and mental well-being. Health experts today are pointing out how physical exercises also relieve stress.

Society as a whole value intellectualism and physical growth. Unfortunately, it does not place a high value on the spiritual fulfillment of an individual. We are brought up to associate spirituality with rites and rituals of religious institutions. If people tell us they have devoted their lives to searching for God, we equate then with monks in a monastery sitting on wooden benches and praying day and night. In the past, people would leave their homes and their families to search for God in the forests or deserts. But with the advent of the industrial age, and now the technological and information age, more and more demands are placed upon us with regard top our time and attention. Today, it is not practical for people to leave the world to pursue spirituality.

Jean-Paul Sartre said "Life begins on the far side of despair". He was probably referring to the capacity of our human spirits that enables us to respond to despair by self-affirmation and to channel our anxiety into creative projects-of-being. But this epigram could also point to another capacity of our spirits, the possibility of Joy, harmony, and peace beyond our malaise. Blaise Pascal said “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing, but only by God the Creator made known through Jesus Christ”. He was basically expressing the idea that there is more to life than simply fulfilling our physical needs. God created Man for a spiritual relationship with Himself. And until Christ fills our hearts, we will constantly search for something in this World to fill that vacuum and make life worth living. What makes life worth living?

Several years ago, I was in Florida for a short vacation and remembered reading the Sunday local newspaper and in it was addressed an article on Teen Suicide. What caught my attention was the comment of a Psychologist who shared that the reason many teens are losing their desire to live is the lack of one or more of three essential qualities that make life worth living: Faith, Hope and Love. You may recognize these as the same three qualities found in 1 Corinthians 13:13. But what do they mean? Each quality not only meets a basic spiritual need in our life, but answers one of three ageless questions.

Quality: Faith, Hope, Love

Spiritual fulfillment: Significance, Security, Self-Worth

Described: a Meaningful Life, a Confident Life, Valuable Life

Question Answered: Why I am Here? Where I am going? Who am I?

God created us with a need to live meaningful lives. We want our lives to count for something (Significance). We want to believe in something to answer the question, why am I here? God’s answer is a relationship with Himself based on faith in Him and His faithfulness to us.

God created us with a need to live confident lives (Security). We want to know that our lives are safe and our future is secure to answer the question, where am I going? God responds by giving us His Promises of Hope to ensure our future.

God created us with a need to live valuable lives (Self-Worth). We want to be valued as a person and to be accepted as we are to answer the question, who am I? God responds by giving us His Love and calling us His children.

A Woman Thirst for Spiritual Fulfillment

Jesus regularly used everyday objects to illustrate eternal truths. He used water and thirst to illustrate our desire for a fulfilling Life. An example of spiritual fulfillment was the Samaritan woman, though the woman of Samaria had come to draw water from the well to quench her physical thirst, Jesus discerned that she also had a spiritual thirst which the things of the world could not quench. Jesus observes that physical water quenches thirst only temporarily. Eventually, we will thirst again. When the woman shows interest in obtaining the water that quenches thirst once and for all, Jesus confronts her with a request intended to show her what she is really thirsting for (self-worth, security and significance) and the inadequate source she was “drinking” from (the various men in her life). These men fulfilled her need for Self-Worth, Significance and Security only temporarily.

True vs. False Fulfillment

Where are you finding YOUR Significance, Security or Self-Worth?

My Work, My Boyfriend, My Money, My Children, My Friends, My Possessions, My Spouse, My Girlfriend,My Good Deeds, My Awards, My Degrees, My Abilities, My Investments, My Appearance My Accomplishments, My Parents.

Are You Finding Fulfillment in God or in the World?

To determine if you are finding Fulfillment in God or in the World, ask yourself, how would I react if someone took away any of the above items from me? Those who find their Fulfillment in any of the above will react with anger or anxiety. Why? Because taking these things is like taking Life itself from them! That is why many even become violent when a loved one leaves them, or when they lose their possessions, or their jobs. For them, it is the lost of their Significance, Security and Self- Worth. However those who find their fulfillment in God will never experience lost for nothing can separate us from God and His Love (Romans 8:38-39)

When we find our fulfillment in the world, we soon discover that it is only temporary. Eventually we need more and find ourselves back where we started. Things get old, people fail us, accomplishments are forgotten, and the applause fades away. When we find fulfillment in God, it is complete and permanent. Being fulfilled in Christ frees us from craving fulfillment in the things of the world, and instead, releases us to give of ourselves without needing anything in return. The worth of anything is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it. God was willing to give His Son, Jesus Christ, for you. Can you think of anyone who values you more?

The Happy Person

Real Significance: God provides real Significance we can experience. (Acts 13:47) Real Self-Worth: God Value us beyond imagination. (1 John 4:10) Real Security: God supplies the best Security we can ever have. (Philippians 4:19; Jeremiah 29:11)