Is this all there is to life? Purposeless ‘success’

By Bob Burckle, Op-ed contributor Friday, April 26, 2024

As I looked at examples of the lives of my parents, grandparents, and other people of influence, and seeing their routines, I asked myself the existential question, “Is this all there is?” — work hard, make money, live a good life, and then just die? Wasn’t there something more I could do to make this world a better place with the gifts that God had given me?

The American Dream: The life of a salaryman

Early in life, we work hard through elementary school, make it to junior high, and move through high school, at which point we either enroll in college, trade school or enter the workforce. It is then, after all that work, we're thrust into the “real world,” where we find a job — and are essentially locked into that job for eight hours a day, five days a week — 40 hours a week with two weeks' vacation each year. For most of us, it is then that we really begin to question, “Is this all there is? Seriously, am I stuck doing this for the next 40 to 50 years, wasting my life away, with little to no fun, working for someone else?”

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After presumably moving past this shock, perhaps upon establishing a routine (and hopefully finding a job we enjoy that fulfills our purpose), we eventually reach the end of our working careers. And all of a sudden — just like that — instead of that grind, we “graduate” into a sort of depressing ‘nothingness’ in retirement, asking ourselves yet again, “Is this all there is? Golf, pickleball, and cards every other day, church on Sundays, rinse and repeat? Am I just waiting to die? Is retirement just your ‘second childhood without parental supervision?’ Do I even have a purpose anymore?”

Is this all there is? Purposeless ‘success’ and comfortability?

No, this isn’t all there is. The key to fulfillment in life is purpose — and interestingly, that purpose is not to make a name for ourselves or reach success, whatever that means. Despite all that society tells us, career accomplishments and a comfortable retirement will never truly satisfy us.

Rather, that lasting purpose that forever sustains us lies in furthering the Kingdom of God, no matter where we are in life. The point is looking beyond ourselves — whether we're still in school, graduated, in the workforce or retired — utilizing different elements of our time, talent and treasure, depending upon where we are, in such a way that we love and serve others as Jesus would. 

This desire for more in life never ends. Even in retirement, we crave purpose — not pointless relaxation as we wait to die. And that’s the point; we are here on this earth but a blink in time. May we take advantage of each and every opportunity to love and serve. Even in old age, instead of meaningless tasks to fill our time, we can serve as missionaries, work in our churches, lead small groups, and volunteer in our communities. We should always care about others, relinquishing the urge and worldly temptation to be self-absorbed. 

The point of purpose

Whether in school, work, or retirement — we shouldn't feel cast aside and alone. Instead, we should embrace that duty, that obligation, to take advantage of where we have been placed. 

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).

As we begin to practice this as an everyday habit — treating every interaction as a golden opportunity to love, showing each person how valued they are — we start to see permanent transformation within ourselves. Rather than drudging through life as though we are dead people walking, we begin to experience the joy that accompanies seeing other people’s lives changed for eternity — the purpose of our lives.

The Bible tells us to go and make disciples in every nation. It’s our job, meaningful and forever fulfilling, to extend this transformative hope. It is in this and only this, that we will know what it means to no longer wonder, “Is this all there is?” — instead, asking, “What more can I do?”