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Practically, this means you’ll have to get your nose in a
Bible, find a good church, think critically, ask good
questions, humbly accept answers, and then actually
apply the things you’re learning. Don’t you dare stop
asking for His help. You’ll be required to give lots of
things up, take lots of other things on, and constantly be
open to Jesus’ plans for your life.

Finally, expect that it will be difficult. Some days you’re
going to want to quit. But, if you stick with Him right up
to the end, you will have no regrets. This is the only
pursuit that can’t be taken away from you. All you have
to do is not give up.

SEEKING THE GIFT OF A BETTER WAY PURSUING INDESTRUCTIBLE PURPOSE
If you had the chance to ask Him, Jesus would heartily All that said, pursuing the life Jesus has for you doesn’t
agree with this king in Ecclesiastes. He also does not necessarily mean you’ll be forced to work a job you hate
or to stay single and celibate for the rest of your life.
want you to get caught in the trap of chasing after the
things you think will be fulfilling. He explains that since Marriage, work, friendships, and family are all lovely gifts
everything we could ever hope to get here is perishable from God meant to be received and enjoyed. The crucial
at best, and easily taken at worst (Matthew 6:19), we’d thing is that these gifts stay in their proper place, always
be wise to put our efforts towards going after something secondary to pursuing God. That way, if you don’t get
these things when or how you were hoping, you’re free
more stable. Thankfully, Jesus offers this to us.
to trust that Jesus has better plans for you.
He advises that you, “Spend your energy seeking the
eternal life that [I] can give you” (John 6:27, NLT). This When this is your reality, you’ll be free to marry or stay
single. You’ll be able to find enjoyment doing any job.
reveals a unique aspect of the Christian life. First, that it’s
given. Second, that you’ll have to pursue it. These two You can have hobbies without them consuming your life,
things may sound contradictory at first, but in reality and a great pressure will be taken off the relationships
they work together. you have with your family, neighbors, co-workers, and
friends. Instead of your life being controlled by getting
First, eternal life has to be given to you by Jesus. You what you want or crushed by the thought of losing it,
you will finally be free.
can’t get it on your own, and you won’t be able to figure
it out by just trying really hard. You’re going to need to
ask for and accept His help. Fortunately for us, helping So, rather than focusing your efforts on gaining things in
people is what He’s all about, and eternal life is this world like everybody else, dare to consider a
different way. Your purpose can be found in going after
something He is more than happy to give (Matthew 7:7,
John 10:10). what Jesus wants for you. If you choose that, suffering
will only be an opportunity to push you in deeper, and
So, step one, whether you’ve been a Christian for a long ultimately death will be the consummation of everything
time and you desire clearer direction for moving you’ve been working towards. This is what we were
made for. What will you choose to pursue?
forward, or if you don’t even know if you are a Christian,
but you want to be, ask for His help. Seriously. Stop
reading, whoever you are, wherever you are, and ask “Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to
Him for help right now. me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me
will never be thirsty...those the Father has given me will
come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come
Second, know that pursuing the eternal life that Jesus
offers is going to require effort from you. Lots of effort. If down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not
you already knew that, you could always use the to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I
reminder. Becoming a Christian is 100% a free gift should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but
(Ephesians 2:8), but continuing on after that into that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my
Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him
maturity will be a challenge (Matthew 7:13-14).
should have eternal life.’” - John 6:35-40 NLT

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