Is your happiness and success the reason for the universe?

I think if you look at most peoples’ fundamental worldview, this is the unwavering assumption that goes unchallenged. The world is here for me. God primarily exists to make me happy and to keep me from anything that makes me sad. Religion is about using God to celebrate me. Church is useful so long as it pleases me.

But what if there is something bigger and more profound that lies at the center of everything than just you?

What if you weren’t the end, but instead the instrument?

Does the thought that you exist for something, someone else’s pleasure and glory excite you? Or does it scare you?

What scares me is sleepwalking through life, living in my own little fairy tale world. There is a blazing beauty that lies at the core of the universe and He is much more beautiful and important and worthy than me and my joy is wrapped up in centering my life on his joy, just like my pleasure in seeing Victoria Falls comes from actually looking at Victoria Falls and not my own reflection.