Life can be tough sometimes. An effective recipe for failing in life is to focus on yourself. Nothing is more certain than disappointment. Messages are coming at us from all directions today, challenging us to be self-reliant, empowered, to put together our life-puzzle, and so on. In all of that, you won’t often see any reference to life’s final end – in other words, who was it I was actually living for? What was it I sowed, what was the harvest it produced and why?

I’ve read a number of different biographies about the lives of famous people and it’s striking, when you read about their lives, how actual and realistic the law of sowing and reaping is (Gal 6:7, 8). We actually do reap what we sow. It’s remarkable that so many famous, talented, capable people have had a life, which despite it’s being studded with many pleasurable moments and glamour, has in the end fallen apart or come to a close in disappointment and bitterness. What we give ourselves to, has to be able to stand for our entire lives – and on into eternity – otherwise, our lives just end up in tragedy and failure. “Me, myself and I” is not enough. When life’s shadows begin to lengthen – and we’re approaching the end of the day – then the reverse sides of all our endeavours become increasingly obvious. If it’s only been all about me and my own life’s project, then it’s been nothing more than egoism, lonely, grey and meaningless. Irrespective of how dazzling it seemed along the way.

Jesus knows what He’s talking about when He says that the one who wins his own life will lose it, and the one who loses his life for His sake, instead gains eternal life. He knows that the one who wins the whole world is likely to lose his own soul. Living for something bigger than yourself and denying yourself in the process means, there’s a whole lot I neither can nor have time to do, because I have to choose, have to prioritise.

A lot of pleasurable, exciting and interesting things will pass me by because I have to leave them be, but I get to enjoy something much better instead. My fellowship with Jesus is deepened, and eternal life is won. There are no losers amongst those set their minds on the eternal when everything else eventually fails to hit the mark and goes astray. What we might value is often not strong enough to build our lives upon. What we get enjoyment from won’t turn out being a deep enough source of lasting satisfaction for us. What Augustine said still holds true: “Almighty God, you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in You.”