Why Do You Exist in the World?
The moments that test our faith are the opportunities to learn how to live a life of profound faithfulness. These moments are our invitation to wholeness in communion with the Divine: the Divine in all creation.
Regardless of your specific faith orientation, life’s challenges and uncertainties draw you closer to the profound realization that you are connected to something much more significant than you, or they create insurmountable fear in your life.
Deep within the human soul lies a yearning for existential meaning: we attempt to answer one crucial question, “How and why do I exist?” In answering this question, we build faith in something outside of us: a god, practice, or something that fills this existential void and gives our lives meaning.
Consider some of the ways people have answered this existential question:
We exist because we were created by God, and our purpose is to serve him.
We exist to learn and grow.
We exist because we are working out our struggles from a previous lifetime.
We exist to suffer and, hopefully, evolve.
We exist to honor the dead who have gone before us.
We exist to love and be loved.
Why do you think you exist? What framework of beliefs have you established to give your life meaning? The reason you believe you exist influences all your perceptions, emotions, thoughts, and decisions. In effect, the beliefs you hold about why you exist are the foundation for the reality you create for yourself.
Let’s dig a bit deeper.
If you believe...
You exist because you were created by God, and your purpose is to serve Him, then it is highly likely that you have some evaluation to determine whether you are serving well. You probably have a role model in your mind of the “godly” servant, and I imagine you compare yourself to some unattainable standard for faith and servitude. You are always trying to be better and more holy. What if you are perfect just as you are?
If you believe...
You exist to recognize how broken and separate you are from God; it is highly likely that you suffer from a story of woundedness and shame. Because of these feelings, you probably have created an elaborate ritual and belief system that helps you manage the pain of insecurity and separation. Because of the separation from God, you must continue to pursue your faith. Because of your “sin,” you are never fully worthy of unconditional love, but you keep seeking. What if you are not separated from your God?
If you believe...
You exist to learn and grow; every challenge in your life may be met with a spirit of curiosity and exploration. It is also highly likely that you measure yourself against some standard of performance. You need a report card to know that you are learning and growing, so you compare yourself to others and previous versions of yourself. What if you celebrate your personal growth and the growth of others daily?
If you believe...
You exist because you are working out your struggles from a previous lifetime. You are powerless to a prior experience for which you had no choice unless you also believe that you chose this life in a previous life. Suppose you think you are working out a struggle from times before. In that case, it is highly likely that you will inadvertently see yourself as a victim to something outside your control: you will create a subconscious story of irresponsibility and powerlessness. How would your life change if you released the stories of your previous lifetimes?
If you believe...
You exist to suffer and, hopefully, evolve; you will create a reality of pain and sorrow. You will look for the grief and sadness in your experience rather than creating moments of gratitude and joy. Primarily, when you tie the concept of suffering to your evolution, you fail to recognize when and how you were growing even in times of joy. You create sorrow because it gives your life meaning. How would your life be different if you created in joy?
If you believe...
You exist to honor the dead who have gone before you; you will spend excessive time remembering the past. You must visit your history as a form of remembrance of those who have gone before you to keep their memory alive. Keeping their memory alive keeps you from creating new memories in the present moment; although it gives you purpose, it keeps you rooted in the past. How would your life be different if you released your history and simply looked at it (your past) as a record of your evolution?
If you believe...
You exist to love and be loved; it is incredibly likely you will live a life of significant pain juxtaposed with profound joy. When we believe we are here to love, we have a hidden expectation that others will love us back. Some people will love you openly and allow you to love them well; others who do not love themselves will leave you feeling broken and sad. How would life change if you trusted love?
I want to invite you on a radical change path by asking you to consider some alternative reasons for existing.
What if we exist to create the reality of our choosing?
What if we exist to co-create and evolve collectively as a species?
What if we exist to create lives of joy, peace, and purpose in co-creation with others?
What if we are here to create beauty?
To do any of these things, we must become the observer and creator of life in the present moment. When you become an observer, you step boldly out of your stories of limitation that reside in your past, and simply observe yourself in the present moment. As the observer, you do not judge yourself or your experiences; you allow your life to unfold, and you stand in gratitude for everything. As the observer, you abandon all conditions about how life is “supposed to be,” You allow yourself the freedom to live expansively.
As the creator of your life, you make a deliberate choice every second of the day to design the life you desire; the people, experiences, feelings, adventures, and thoughts are all up to you!
What choice are you going to make? How are you going to define your reality? Most importantly, why do you think you exist?
I think you exist because you are a perfect and brilliant expression of creation capable of creating the reality you choose! You have the power to stand boldly in the knowledge that you are part of something magnificent.
You are loved,
Trey