Going nowhere fast

I don't like the feeling of being stuck. I also don't like thinking that I'm making "progress" when in fact I am not; I think this is an illusion that a lot of society buys into. Actually, I think we could safely say that everyone buys into, at one point or another. Take video games for example. Role Playing Games (RPGs) are often rewarding because they make the player feel accomplished; your character levels up, you get stronger, you can defeat more monsters, etc.

Actually I was about to list a bunch of other examples, but realized that a lot depends on what we see as "progress". Or, better yet, how do we decide whether things are worthwhile or not? What is the difference between a worthy investment and an unworthy investment? A lot of times it comes down to one of two things: money or people. Money puts food on the table, and people make life worth living. If this life is all we've got (it isn't, but a lot of people think it is), then those are probably the two most important things we could have, since they probably last the longest and can give the most emotional satisfaction.

Christian or not, I think this is really a question we should all be asking ourselves: what is the point of all this? Is getting that six-figure salary really worth it? Is even raising a family and going through the struggles of dating, marriage, parenthood, all worth it? A lot of endeavors seem to be simply for self-pleasure or self-satisfaction. A lot also seem to be for the future, for things that will be better in the long run. We work so we can have money so we can satisfy our hunger, or we invest in people that will support us emotionally where financial support isn't really enough. But even these things seem to be temporary in the long run... we lose our jobs, unsuspected and unpredictable disasters strike, people die (sadly)...

Short of doing things to further the Kingdom of God, which is something that is permanent and everlasting, I'm not sure what the purpose is to progress in other areas, other than for temporary enjoyment. Which isn't bad in itself, but can very quickly lead to a pretty messed up life. Playing around with the time-frame of everything makes things seem... very different. Like if we think with an eternal perspective rather than a temporary one, things that aren't for His glory seem trivial. Which, in different ways, they are, and are not. Life should be enjoyed, since life, in itself, is an amazing gift from God. But it shouldn't be wasted.

How to not waste my life... that's still something I'm working on. For now, I just know that I don't want to.