Why am I here?Why am I here? The answer is, God made us to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him in the world to come. The Scottish theologian, William Barclay, once wrote an answer to the question "Why am I here?" He said, "There are two great days in a person's life; the day we are born and the day we discover why."
The reason for our existence has to be more than gaining material possessions and experiencing worldly pleasures. When we die, none of our possessions go with us. I may go from here to the other end of the world, from one country to another, from riches to greater riches, from pleasure to pleasure, and still I shall not be content. Thanks to Jesus Christ there is a far better life after death. Christ, by His death on the Cross, restored us to friendship with God. To benefit from this great gift, we need to believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and to follow His teachings. 
Now comes the hard part:
Christ spoke these words to the apostles, to the crowds listening to Him and also to future generations. That is why we must take up our cross. Jesus warns us: If our heart is fixed on the things of this world, Jesus does not promise us a rich and easy life. Our cross might be such sufferings as unemployment, family and health problems, loneliness and depression, or the death of a loved one.
A willingness to carry our cross is a test of our love for Jesus. Everyone wants to celebrate with Jesus; few want to participate in His sufferings. We are expected to:
When you are tired of carrying your cross, look at Jesus on His Cross. Here is the One, Who loves you more than you can ever imagine.
Thomas Merton and spiritual growth NEXT >
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