Your Life Has a Purpose
Why am I here? Does my life have meaning? Do the things I do really matter? God, our loving Heavenly Father, wants us to find happiness and joy. He created a plan for us to grow, live by faith, and return to live with Him someday. His plan gives meaning and context to our life here on earth and answers the big questions: “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” and “What happens after I die?”
God Has a Plan For You
God is your Heavenly Father. You are His child. He loves you with an infinite love. His plan is for you to grow, to be happy, and to one day return to live with Him.
Your story goes back to when you were in heaven, where you existed as a spirit with God and the rest of His spirit children. God sent us all to earth to receive a physical body, to face challenges, and to become more like Him through faith in Jesus Christ. God’s plan is not random. It is carefully designed to give you the experiences you need to return to Him again as a better and more experienced person. As the Bible explains, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).
God is watching over you
During His ministry, Jesus assured people that God the Father is aware of all things on this earth—even something as small as a sparrow falling to the ground. “Fear ye not therefore,” He said. “Ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31). God knows you personally. He knows what you’re up against. Through His commandments, the holy scriptures, and prophets who speak on His behalf, He helps us navigate life to return to Him.
Life is a proving ground for us
God sent us to earth to learn and grow through experiences—both pleasant and painful. He lets us choose between good and evil. The challenge is to have faith in His plan even though we don’t have all of the answers.
“And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
“Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” —2 Nephi 2:26–27
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Jesus is the way to lasting happiness
Because we all make mistakes, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins so we can be cleansed and forgiven. When we accept Jesus and follow His example, we become less selfish and can enjoy greater love, peace, and joy.
The Bible teaches, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Jesus’s teachings guide our lives and lead us to lasting happiness. His sacrifice not only allows us to find meaning in life and grow to our full potential, but also to be cleansed from our sins and return to live with our Heavenly Father.
Learn about God’s plan for us
Before you were born, you lived with God, your Heavenly Father. He knew you, loved you, and taught you about the choices that would lead to lasting happiness. This period is called the premortal life.
God wanted us to come to earth to gain a physical body. Here, we face challenges and situations that help us learn and grow so we can become more like Him.
God knew that we would make mistakes, so He chose Jesus to come to earth and suffer for our sins. Jesus’s sacrifice allows us to be forgiven and cleansed of our sins so we can live with God again someday.
Here on earth, we don’t remember living with God. As a result, we must have faith and learn to choose between right and wrong. Life isn’t easy, but hard times let us appreciate happiness and peace.
Jesus suffered and died for our sins. But that doesn’t take our responsibility away—we must choose to accept Jesus by repenting when we make mistakes, being baptized, and keeping His commandments.
When we die, our spirit and body separate. Our spirit goes to the spirit world. It is a place of rest and happiness for those who have made good choices and a state of hell for those who have made bad ones.
The spirit world is not a final destination or judgment. In fact, because God is so loving and fair, those people in hell who never knew about Jesus are taught His gospel and given the opportunity to accept Him.
Jesus overcame death so we can all live again. This is called the resurrection. When we are resurrected, our spirits and bodies reunite. Our bodies will be perfect and will never die again.
Jesus will judge us according to our actions and the desires of our hearts. He will be as merciful as He can. Because our actions and desires vary, heaven includes different kingdoms or degrees of glory.
Our Heavenly Father and Jesus reside in the celestial kingdom. If you live by Jesus’s teachings and are cleansed from sin by His sacrifice, you will go there. You will live in God’s presence and experience lasting joy.
People who refuse to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ but who live otherwise honorable lives will receive a place in the terrestrial kingdom.
Those who continue in their sins and do not repent will receive a place in the telestial kingdom.
Loving others adds meaning to life
Giving and receiving love adds meaning to life. Families can be a great source of love, but no matter your family circumstances, when we show love to others, we draw closer to God and come to understand His plan. As the Bible teaches, “Let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7).
You are a blessing to others
Your actions have the power to greatly bless the lives of your family, friends, and those around you. As you strive to follow Jesus Christ by serving and showing kindness to others, you leave your mark and make the world a better place. Don’t underestimate the potential you have to influence others for good, whether by your service or your example.
You can find joy as you follow God’s plan
The purpose of God’s plan is to provide us with eternal happiness. The more you understand His plan, the more you realize you can’t make it back to God on your own. He made it possible for every sin and every mistake you make during this test of life to disappear and be forgotten through Jesus Christ. It takes sincere repentance. It takes baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost. And it takes continuous effort to return to God. But through Jesus Christ, the center of God’s plan, you can do it.
You are on this earth to become better, to come to know God, and to find happiness. And as you follow God’s plan and His commandments, you can experience joy now and throughout your life.
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