God has a purpose for each of us

Q: My friend says that money, success, and marrying the right person ensures a solid foundation. As a building contractor, I think he’s putting his faith in the wrong things and leaning on Styrofoam pillars, but I don’t quite know how to explain to him that he needs to secure his foundation on the lasting promises of God.

R.F.

A: Many people never stop to examine the foundations on which they are building their lives. They assume they are on the right road and their foundations will always be secure. For some, the foundation may be self-indulgence of pleasure or entertainment. Others build upon financial success of social position. Still others think that if they can only find the right person to marry, or discover the ideal place to live, or clinch the best-paying job – then they will always be happy and secure. But in moments of crisis, these dreams are shattered, leaving them disillusioned and wondering what went wrong.

There’s nothing wrong with having possessions and experiences, but the problem is these things often ignore the soul. If we feed “self” with all the world has to offer and don’t have God at the center of life, we will find ourselves weak and unprepared for life’s inevitable challenges.

God has a purpose for each of us, and He desires that we build upon Him, the very foundation He has put in place.

Without it, life’s load is harder to bear. We need a solid foundation beneath our lives – one that will give us strength and stability no matter what happens. Make it your goal to build strong foundations for life – foundations constructed from prayer and the truths of God’s Word.

This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.