Don't Just Survive Thrive.

Many people are going through life without any sense of purpose or meaning. They are just surviving and not thriving. Most will claim they want to be happy, yet they can not quite define happiness. Of course, people will say they want more money, a better job bigger house, etc... Others will say they want good friendships and a healthy family. Some may claim there is no meaning to life. Few people recognize that the meaning of life comes from another and is greater than oneself. Without purpose, you will likely end up pursuing things that, in the end, will not leave you happy, at least not for any sustained time.

NFL hall of famer, Deion Sanders won two Super Bowl titles and appeared in one World Series game, making him the only athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series. His net worth is estimated in the 10s of millions. After winning his second Super Bowl title, he tells of going up to his hotel room and crawling into bed. His wife asked how come he was not downstairs celebrating with his teammates. Deion tells of his feeling his life was empty. "Is this what life is all about?" he asked himself, winning Superbowls. Deion, like countless others, realized that earthly achievements would not give his life meaning. He would later turn his life to Christ.

Many focus on making money and obtaining earthly riches. Some preach that God wants you to be rich, while others speak of the evil found in money and materialism. The Christian view, of course, informs us that there is nothing wrong with pursuing achievement and using your talents to their fullest. In fact, God expects us to use the gifts we are given. God doesn't condemn His people with earthly possessions, but He condemns when worldly possessions have us.

"I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” — Luke 16:9

Whether it's accolades, awards, or materialism, many who have little or no spiritual life find themselves feeling the same as Deion Sanders did, empty. This feeling is a common experience that Deion had. Many who have climbed to reach the pinnacle in whatever they were pursuing were left wondering what else was there?

Thriving

To thrive, you must have a purpose. In his book "Mans Search for Meaning," Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist and survivor of the Nazi concentration camp describes how he and other prisoners survived the camps. The prisoners who survived had found a purpose and focused on meaningful goals. Frankl and his fellow captives needed meaning and purpose to survive. Most people whose lives are going well and the content rarely question their purpose—however, the question of purpose in the extremes like Deion Sanders Superbowl and Frankl's imprisonment is often contemplated.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” — Corinthians 8:28

Psychological Research

Comprehensive psychological studies show that people who have a spiritual life, pray, and involve themselves with community friends and family find a happier life with a deeper meaning.

Roland Griffiths, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said,

"We want to be clear that our study looks at personal experiences and says nothing about the existence or nonexistence of God; we doubt that any science can definitively settle this point either way."

However, many self-proclaimed atheists who experience God or a higher power no longer refer to themselves as atheists. Other research at Duke University Medical Center demonstrates regular prayer's lasting physical and mental health benefits.

“The benefits of devout religious practice, particularly involvement in a faith community and religious commitment are that people cope better. In general, they cope with stress better. They experience greater well-being because they have more hope, are more optimistic, experience less depression, less anxiety, and commit suicide less often.

A study of nearly 4,000 older adults for the U.S. Journal of Gerontology revealed that atheists had a significantly increased chance of dying over six years than the faithful. Crucially, religious people lived longer than atheists, even if they didn't regularly go to a place of worship.

Read Newsmax: Studies Prove the Healing Power of Prayer | Newsmax.com