The Simple Secret to a Meaningful Life

Scott Rogers, a long time friend and brother, reveals the “secret” to finding meaning and purpose.

Scott serves as pastor at Wyatte Baptist Church in Senatobia Ms. Earlier this year he posted a short piece on Facebook that I think all of us need to be reminded of.

“I see and talk to so many people, even Christians, who feel useless and without purpose. They self-diagnose all sorts of mental and emotional maladies using the internet, Facebook and blogs from people they don’t know from Adam.

When I was serving as an associate pastor under my father in the ministry, Don Baggett, I remember a time I began to feel like I wasn’t really doing ministry. I performed my roles in education and administration and whatever I was asked to do. However, I began to feel that I was just pushing paper and not making a difference. I went to Bro. Don to let him know how I felt and to seek his counsel because depression had begun to set in.

As always, he gave me great advice. He said, “whenever you get to feeling this way, drop what you’re doing and go to the hospital and visit the sick. Go spend some time with our shut-ins or home-bound. Just go and minister to people in need.”

I want you to know that in 25 years of ministry I have received no better advice. It absolutely worked for me then and is still working for me today.

So as I was reading my Bible this morning and I thought of some of you. Maybe you don’t need a new medicine, a new position, or a new revelation from God. Maybe you should just go and serve somebody. Go and do something for someone who cannot do anything for you. I promise you, it will lift your spirits. There is someone in a sick bed, a nursing home, or a jail cell that would just love to think that someone cared enough to come see them.”

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, …” – Philippians 2:1-5

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Serving others for Christ’s sake is the simple “secret” that cures so many of our daily “vexations and temptations.” As someone prone to feeling down and depressed, I need to be reminded of this every day. Jesus has set us free from ourselves so that we can give ourselves to others. Let’s serve someone today and give them a little taste of the Lord’s goodness.