在網路上搜尋「人生的意義」，你會找到這樣的說法：

•  人生就像一顆洋蔥。你只能一層一層地剝開它，還不時的流淚。(卡爾·桑德堡Carl Sandburg)
• 當我迷失，我就望向你眼眸，你讓我明白人生的意義。(歌手凱莉·克萊森Kelly Clarkson)
• 人生的唯一意義就是為人類服務。 (作家列夫·托爾斯泰Leo Tolstoy)
• 人生就是不斷地感到飢渴。 (演員和政治家阿諾·史瓦辛格Arnold Schwarzenegger)

然而，我們其實無法在網路上，找到人生意義的。即便我有自己的看法，但我不會試圖告訴你人生的意義。但我有充分的理由證明，在某些方面，你其實已經回答了這個問題。而且不僅僅只是這個問題。你對人生的五個重大問題，已經有了答案：1.我從哪裡來？2.我是誰？3.我為什麼在這裡？4.我應該如何活出我的人生？5.我將到哪裡去？

問問自己：「我的人生針對這些問題的答案，如何來體現呢？」看看自己的人生、檢視自己的心思與心靈。如果你覺得自己可能不客觀，可以向一些親密的家人和朋友徵求他們的看法。看看你是如何形成這些問題的答案？

起源 – 我從哪裡來？我們對人類的起源都很感興趣。人究竟是從哪裡來的？我們必須要追溯得更遠。但是，人生的故事是否可以追溯到一個偶然的「大爆炸」呢？如果答案是肯定的，那麼我擁護的對象應該主要是我自己、我的生存和進步。然而，如果我的答案是，人類來自於一位造物主，那麼就值得問下列的問題：

身份 – 我是誰？有資料顯示，30歲以下的人，經常會在個人意義和身份問題上有所掙扎，但身份問題是我們所有人都需要處理的。你認為我們每個人的不同之處在哪？這與下一個問題有關，就是意義的問題。

目的 – 我為什麼在這裡？越來越多的人要求在工作中要有目的，但我們往往沒有去問整個人生的問題。也許我們被智慧型手機、高科技設備和生活的責任分散了注意力，以至於找不到答案。即便你說自己不知道答案，但你的人生已經表現出你認為人生的目的是什麼。快樂是你的衡量指標嗎？或者，你的人生的目的是其他的東西，例如：與他人分享快樂和良善；留下可以傳承的遺產；贏得勝利並證明自己；榮耀上帝；或者讓世界更美好。

道德 – 我們應該如何活出我們的人生？當被問到工作與生活的平衡時，一個著名的千禧世代的CEO解釋說：「在辦公室內擁有一切你想要的，在辦公室外也擁有一切你想要的。」 但這就是人生的目標嗎？還是有更多客觀的規則可以依循？每個宗教都有它的道德準則，但即使是非宗教人士也是存有道德感的。魯益師 (C.S. Lewis)寫道：無論我們是否有宗教信仰，都相信有對與錯的概念：什麼是允許做的？什麼是最好的？對你來說，是否聖經已經規範了我們的道德，就是上帝給我們艱難的命令－愛人如己、饒恕傷害過你的人、為他人著想勝過自己，以及其他還有許多呢？

命定 – 我們要到哪裡去？即使在一個越來越少人信上帝的世界裡，人們仍然相信有來生。即使在一個進步帶來了許多方面痛苦和折磨的社會中，人類仍然繼續尋求更多的進步。無論是個人或是一種文化和物種，我們都相信自己會繼續走到某個地方，那麼，我們的命定是什麼？死後會發生什麼？你對自己和他人對命定的看法會影響你今天生活的方式。

回答這五個問題可以讓你的人生安定下來，就像建築打的地基一樣。當暴風來臨時，這些問題的答案是你可以緊緊抓住的，你可以說：「無論發生了什麼事，這都是我人生建造的根基。」

@2022史帝芬. 格里夫氏博士(Dr. Stephen R. Graves)把自己描述為組織戰略家、實用神學家和社會資本家。他為高級主管、企業主以及年輕企業家提供諮詢服務。同時也是眾多書籍、文章的作者，和一位大眾演說家。他的網站是www.stephenrgraves.com。

備註：如果你有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，可以考慮以下的經文：

詩篇119篇9-11節
119:9 少年人用甚麼潔淨他的行為呢？是要遵行你的話！
119:10 我一心尋求了你；求你不要叫我偏離你的命令。
119:11 我將你的話藏在心裏，免得我得罪你。
傳道書5章18-19節
5:18 我所見為善為美的，就是人在上帝賜他一生的日子吃喝，享受日光之下勞碌得來的好處，因為這是他的分。
5:19 上帝賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取自己的分，在他勞碌中喜樂，這乃是上帝的恩賜。
傳道書12章13-14節
12:13 這些事都已聽見了，總意就是：敬畏上帝，謹守他的誡命，這是人所當盡的 本分( – 或譯：這是眾人的本分)。
12:14 因為人所做的事，連一切隱藏的事，無論是善是惡，上帝都必審問。
馬太福音28章19-20節
28:19 所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗 ( – 或譯：給他們施洗，歸於父、子、聖靈的名)。
28:20 凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守，我就常與你們同在，直到世界的末了。」
哥林多後書5章20節
5:20 所以，我們作基督的使者，就好像上帝藉我們勸你們一般。我們替基督求你們與上帝和好。

反省與問題討論

1. 思考一下個人或是人類起源問題時，創世記1章1節、26-28節能告訴我們什麼答案呢？「起初，神創造天地」、「神說：「我們要照着我們的形像、按着我們的樣式造人，使他們管理海裏的魚、空中的鳥、地上的牲畜，和全地，並地上所爬的一切昆蟲。」神就照着自己的形像造人，乃是照着他的形像造男造女。神就賜福給他們，又對他們說：「要生養眾多，遍滿地面，治理這地，也要管理海裏的魚、空中的鳥，和地上各樣行動的活物。」 這些經文告訴我們神對人類的計劃是什麼呢？
2. 關於我們的身份，創世記1章27節也談到了這一點：「神就照着自己的形像造人」…這說明了神對我們的旨意是什麼？
3. 你如何確定自己的人生目的，就是人生中最重要的使命？思考一下使徒保羅在腓立比書3章10節中所寫的關於他如何看待自己的人生目的。這節經文的擴大版聖經是：「因為我堅定的目的是，我可以認識祂，我可以逐漸地與祂更深入、更親密地相交，更強烈、更清楚地感知、認識和理解祂的奇妙之處…. 。(註:和合本-使我認識基督，曉得他復活的大能，並且曉得和他一同受苦，效法他的死。)」你會如何重新描述這段話？你對這個人生目的的反應是什麼？也可以想想以弗所書2章10節所說的：「我們原是他的工作，在基督耶穌裏造成的，為要叫我們行善，就是神所預備叫我們行的。」這對你有什麼意義？
4. 就道德而言，請考慮使徒保羅在提摩太後書3章16-17節中對他的門徒提摩太的告誡：「聖經都是神所默示的( – 或譯：凡神所默示的聖經)，於教訓、督責、使人歸正、教導人學義都是有益的，叫屬神的人得以完全，預備行各樣的善事。」`這說明了神希望祂的子民如何生活和工作？你認為這適用於21世紀職場上的我們嗎？聖經仍然應該是標準嗎？為什麼呢？

THE FIVE BIG QUESTIONS OF LIFE

By Stephen R. Graves  

Do an Internet search of “Meaning of life” and you will find quotes like these:

• “Life is like an onion. You peel it off a layer at a time and sometimes you weep.” – Carl Sandburg
• “When I’m lost, I just look in your eyes. You show me the meaning of life.” – singer Kelly Clarkson
• “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.” – author Leo Tolstoy
• “Life is continuously being hungry.” – actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger

However, we cannot find the meaning in life on the Internet. I won’t try to tell you the meaning of life (though I have an opinion), but I am going to argue that in some ways, you have already answered that question. And not just that one. You already have answers to the five big questions of life:
   1.Where did I come from? 2.Who am I? 3.Why am I here? 4.How should I live? 5.Where am I going?

Ask yourself, “What does my life display as my answers to these questions?” Look at your life: peek into your mind and heart. If you know you might not be objective, ask some close family and friends for their feedback. See what answers you have already formulated for these questions:

Origin – Where did I come from? We are fascinated by people’s origin stories. Where did they come from? We need to go back even further, however. Does the story of life go back to a causeless “big bang”? If the answer is “yes,” my allegiance should primarily be to myself, my survival and advancement. If, however, my answer is that we come from a Creator, it is worthwhile to ask questions like these:
Identity – Who am I? It has been well-documented that people under 30 years of age struggle with questions about individual meaning and identity, but the question of identity is one we all deal with.
What do you believe differentiates each one of us? It ties to the next question, one of meaning.
Purpose – Why am I here? Increasingly, we demand purpose at work, but we often fail to ask the question about life as a whole. Perhaps we are too distracted by smartphones, high-tech devices, and responsibilities to seek out an answer. Even if you say you do not know the answer, your life displays what you think the purpose of life is. Is happiness your barometer? Or maybe your life says something else: to share joy and kindness with others; leave a legacy; win and prove yourself; glorify God; or leave the world better than you found it.
Morality – How should we live? When asked about work-life balance, a prominent millennial CEO explained it is, “Having everything you want in the office and everything you want outside of the office.” But is that the goal? Or are there more objective rules to live by? Every religion has its code of ethics, but even the non-religious live with a sense of morality. C.S. Lewis wrote that religious or not, we all believe in concepts of right and wrong. What is permissible? What is best? For you, if it is the morality outlined in the Bible, God has given us difficult commands – love your neighbor as yourself, forgive whoever has hurt you, think of others above yourself, and many others.
Destiny – Where are we going? Even in a world where fewer and fewer people believe in God, people still believe in an afterlife. Even in a society where progress has led to pain and suffering in so many ways, humanity continues to seek more progress. We all believe we are going somewhere, whether individually or as a culture and a species. So, what is our destiny? What happens after we die? What you think of the destiny for yourself and for others should impact the way you live today.

Answering these five questions can settle your life like a foundation sets a building. When storms come, these can become the foundation you cling to, saying, “No matter what, this is what I build my life on.”

© 2022. Dr. Stephen R. Graves describes himself as an organizational strategist, pragmatic theologian, and social capitalist. He advises executives and business owners, as well as young entrepreneurs. He is author of numerous books and many articles, and a public speaker. His website is www.stephenrgraves.com.

Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. In considering the matter of origin – both for ourselves individually and the human race in general – what can Genesis 1:1,26-28 tell us?“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it….’”
2. What do these verses tell us about God’s plans for humankind?
3. Concerning our identity, Genesis 1:27 also speaks to this: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them….” What does this say about God’s intentions for us?
4. How would go about determining your life’s purpose, the overriding mission for your life? Consider what the apostle Paul wrote about how he viewed his purpose in Philippians 3:10. The Amplified translation of this verse states, “For my determined purpose is, that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of his Person more strongly and more clearly….” How would you restate this passage? What is your reaction to it? Also consider Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” What does this mean to you? In terms of morality, consider the admonition of the apostle Paul to his protégé Timothy, in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” What does this say about how God wants His people to live and work? Do you think this applies to us in the 21^st century marketplace? Should the Bible still be the standard? Why or why not?
   
   NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages:
   Psalm 119:9-11; Ecclesiastes 5:18-19, 12:13-14; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:20

相關（靈修文章）：

• 週一嗎哪
• 讀經日引
• 荒漠甘泉
• 成語靈訓
• 真理再思
• 歲首到年終

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