Our Empty Efforts

Whether you are conscious of it or not, you have been on a spiritual journey looking for the answers to life’s biggest questions. Many people are very aware of that journey; others keep pushing it aside, trying to prove their own significance while avoiding the question of why their significance even matters. Like a results-driven, Type-A executive who neglects his relationships for the bottom line or the next big acquisition—or even just a busy person with a long to-do list—we often let daily demands crowd out the meaning behind them all. Life can become one task after another.

Paul McAllister thought his real success had to do with the wealth he accumulated, the recognition he received, and the status that came with his accomplishments. Yet he still felt that something was missing. It’s a common experience. Many of us look back over the years and wonder, Is this what it’s all about? The answer, of course, is that life is about so much more than the momentary highs of temporary successes. And many of the people in our lives—often the casualties of our misplaced priorities—could probably point that out for us. There are heavy consequences for measuring success the wrong way.

The big questions create a void, and we have all kinds of ways of trying to fill it up. But none of our human efforts can fix the problems, answer the questions, or satisfy our deepest longings. Our seemingly unending mission to create meaning in our lives can only end when we realize it’s headed in the wrong direction—when we finally leave behind the idea of getting ahead. Only then do our hearts open up to the answers God wants to give.

Questions: Paul McAllister’s life when he first met the Old Pro suggested that he had a distorted sense of priorities. What would you say are the top priorities in your life? What measurements would you use to determine whether you are successful in life? What are some of the consequences of measuring success the wrong way? Have you seen any of those consequences at work in your life? If so, how