If there is no God…there is no meaning of life.
This was one of the first truths that led me to faith.
I used simple words at the beginning. When I got to seminary bigger words were tossed about…Atheism, Theism, Nihilism.
The logical end of believing there is no God (atheism), is knowing that nothing has meaning (nihilism). Thankfully, people seldom take things to the logical end.
It was in Seminary I heard that the logical end of nihilism is…
“Why not just walk in front of a bus?”
It was a shocking thing to hear…but true.
I almost didn’t repeat it here because I know that someone who is feeling as the medication made me feel last week, might read, then jump to the logical end of the road, and act on it.
Nothing good comes from suicide.
Nothing. Good. Comes. From suicide!
Suicide is 100% preventable - speak out...reach out...
Suicide chokes off any possibility of good like a boulder on a hose.
Even if nothing means anything, living at least provides the slimmest chance for change. If there is anything at all constant in this universe to a ridiculous extent, it’s change. And what’s true and obvious for the universe is true and obvious for or us too. No?
It’s a universal guarantee that if you are feeling like nothing…those feelings. will. change.
Before I dig any deeper into this I had to say that…
Now to begin moving the dirt around.
It’s the same dirt Solomon moved around in Ecclesiastes. Sylvia and I chatted about that in the comment section last time. I ended up by saying,
“to me, Ecclesiastes reads like a journal written by an older person who has seen so much life – and seen so much bad happen to good people and good happen to bad people – and maybe forgotten that there is a God above it all – and then near the very end – he remembers. And when he remembers – he realizes that there is really only one reason for living.”
If there is no ultimate source of good…
no Creator behind the creation…
then everything is meaningless.
The universe is dying. Any astronomer or physicist worth their salt will admit to that.
And if, when the universe dies…
there is nothing left…
then nothing ever done…
by anyone…
will have mattered.
If nothing will have mattered…
then nothing does matter…
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
i enjoyed reading this! i love the theological depths of faith…we all question things at some point. because we are created in God’s image and He made us intelligent beings, we are curious creatures, we love to learn, and we can only get so far before our intelligence begins to tell us that faith seems silly and meaningless–a fairytale. one of the hardest things for my faith is the rate at which my girls grow and the memory loss with the years. sometimes it feels as if they were never babies at all and i never had those moments with them because i cant remember them–which causes me to feel its meaningless. the rate at which things change in the universe causes me to have a hard time finding meaning, a steadfast hope in life. and i keep coming back to the same thing–the only thing that saves me from my intelligent thinking and utter doom: faith in God. i feel Him, i hear Him whisper, when i cling to Him i have hope. that is no coincidence. i would like to read more of this–i may come back to do that. but you know im still on hiatus. thank you so much for your comment at my place–it meant so, so much–your words always do. you always make me smile, friend! blessings.
first, take your time on your hiatus – it’s necessary – it’s important – and so are you. So much of what you wrote in your comment. I echo – I HAVE echoed. I hope you guys are still working on cute, adorable, picture book-ish kitty cats – it really is time to make the picture book an e-book reality – and then – who knows? Come back when you have time friend – but take the time you need – and I’ll still be visiting over at your place. You KNOW I heart your words! God bless! (◕‿◕)
I read your post today, had to go away and think awhile, then came back and read Nacole’s comment. . . and my mind and heart races. I want to tell Nacole that what she is experiencing is where I’ve been, too. . . . and probably everyone else at one point or another. Adulthood comes with a clock that begins to move faster and faster. Here I am, 64 years old, and I’m wondering what happened to all those years since I was a kid when a month was an eternity. Memories can be good things, but they can also be full of horror and sadness, holding us back in what was and in what we cannot change. Tomorrow holds hope only because of the prospect of change —- things WE personally can change, things that others change, and ultimately, things GOD brings our way that changes our outlook, direction, and us.
Craig, I loved that great hope you expressed here: A chance for change! I’ve been at the point of the bus scene. For me, it was the thought of just swerving my car over the white line into the path of an eighteen wheeler coming towards me. . . just the slightest turn of the steering wheel and it would all be over. But you know, always ALWAYS those two words. . . then what? God has set eternity in the heart of us all and we just seem to know that even suicide doesn’t end anything. The thought of facing Christ and seeing His face after doing that just crushed me. And that was enough. We may lose hope of a better tomorrow, but as Nacole called it, we have that steadfast hope, a hope that does not disappoint, of an eternity with Him. And that is enough. Always enough. Craig, I’m so glad you’ve had the courage to say things like they really are, that we as humans go through these dark times of struggle. It makes us who tend to keep silent know that we are not alone down in those pits. Thank you for this!
and we aren’t alone, are we friend? tomorrow holds hope because of change – but tomorrow also holds terror – I hate change! But you and I are both old enough to know the roller coaster of life. Nacole is a precious spirit isn’t she? look at the link in just my post – and your comment – and her comment – and her posts. She’s got babies growing too fast – and then there’s her – and me – and you – and eternity – and it’s all bound up in the grace of God – we are NOT alone. God bless you, Cora!
Oh, such powerful thoughts and mighty feelings here! I just read another friend’s blog about fearing change; I’m going through a huge change right now in my life as you know. But, without change in our lives, none of us would grow and move forward and develop into the full persons God intends us to be. A God who DOES exist and one who loves us beyond measure.
May He bless you today and always, Craig!
I know, I know, I know, I know… Change is good… But I still HATE change. Just sayin’. And one of my favorite things about our Lord is, and always has been, that he never changes – he doesn’t need to change. Anyway, may God bless YOU today too Martha (◠‿◠)
Thank you, Craig , for the care you take with what you say and how you say it . . to always give Hope.
That was always what I would want to say to someone, from my own time of “the bus scene” . . .that things change. They really do. And Jesus came to rescue us from nothingness!
God bless you, always!
it IS a roller coaster, this life – no? And I know that you get the roller coaster – I know you’ve been along for the ride – but, we ARE rescued from the nothingness – and have hand on us while we are ON the roller coaster. God bless you, Debbie!
Craig,
I thought about you as I read over at Ann’s today about seeing.
We only see a sliver. He sees it all. We thank Him for what we do not see because we know He is good and we trust that what we are seeing (the sliver) is for our good.
Accepting that what we are seeing is only a sliver and that all is good is IT, isn’t it? IT’s that eternal goodness.
I wanted to comment about this and I didn’t know where to put it. This isn’t flowing with the rest of your comments, but I think it’s important so here it is.
Just thinkin’,
Dawn
comments don’t need to flow with other comments, Dawn – in this whole year of blogging, and having mastered all of the blogging rules (not) – at least I know this much – your comment is YOUR comment – a way for us to discuss and learn together – and there are no rules except for love – and your comments always follow that rule. Of course,Ann is right – we just see a sliver – and the sliver we see of God is GOOD – and we’ll see more later – I guess it’s kind of like the down payment of the Holy Spirit – you know? We can’t see it ALL – now – bound by time and space – I guess we need the viewpoint of eternity to see eternity. Now you’ve got my wheels spinning in my head – STOP IT ツ
God bless!
Craig, thank you for reminding me of hope. I needed this reminder tonight. In this season. Thank you for reminding us all that this season, too, shall pass. I wonder if this season is preparation for the next? That reminds me of your many-months-ago admonition to ‘not waste the pain.’
Thank you for helping us to see how worthwhile it is to keep our trust placed in our God.
Thank you, Craig.
Sigh. Bedtime. Tears…wet… under the blankets. Muffled. Sharing thoughts to Jesus. Wondering what He will share back. Grateful He is there. Turn my thoughts to Him. To His ways. That is where I will find my salvation. Not in ignoring me, but in getting my bearings by seeing Him.
Tangent.
Bless you, Craig.
I get the tangent – I REALLY do – you know that. And I’m smiling right now because I got another opportunity to pray for you my friend. Just finished. Felt good ツ and YES – we can’t waste our pain! God bless you A.
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