Daniel and I have a friend who grew up in the faith but has since abandoned it.
Our friend tried Christianity and it didn’t work–or so our friend says.
Since the day I heard of our friend’s lack of faith, I have had one prayer:
Make his life meaningless.
Our friend is young and energetic. He can do whatever he wants. He is free to explore the world, to enjoy every pleasure it has to offer.
I have one prayer:
Make his life pleasureless.
I pray that he would ever have a longing unfulfilled, that he would always come to the end of a pursuit empty, that his wanderings would never satisfy his wanderlust.
I pray that his travels would end like the Preacher’s and that he would come to the same conclusion.
“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.”
~Ecclesiastes 12:8
I pray that all of life would seem worthless, meaningless, joyless–until one day our friend would come to the end of himself and discover that meaning, worth, and joy can only be found in doing precisely what he was made to do: in bringing glory to God.
“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
~Ecclesiastes 12:13
Every day, I pray this prayer…
and I am reminded that I too sometimes need a meaningless life
I too need to feel the gnawing ache whenever my heart is not fixed on Christ.
May I never find meaning, purpose, or pleasure apart from Him.
Sad but true. We see it all the time in our community, friends, and family. Agreeing with you in prayer for your friend!
That is a great way to pray – for all of us who tend to look for meaning apart from the only One who can give life true meaning.