A Thought to Replace My Life

.

"Even if I come back, even if I die
Is there some idea to replace my life?"

(Sufjan Stevens, from the album Michigan)


Imagine that your life has been removed from this earth in every way, even your name and the memory of you. No one will ever know that you lived. What would the world be missing? Is there some thought to completely replace your life? Is there something hidden in you, in the deepest part of your soul, that makes you different from anyone else in the universe? Is there something that you could provide this planet, that could not be replaced?

If so, is that part of us not worth celebrating? Do we honestly believe that a magnificent, mysterious, incomparable God would appreciate His children willingly falling into a standard mold? Do all Christians in the New Testament fall into one idea, one thought? Our true uniqueness is part of what makes us human. If I ever feel that my life could be easily replaced by a million similar lives, I have only myself to blame. I was created with a unique mind, heart, and soul. I was created to serve an awesome God, but I was never told what the essence of my life would be. What makes me tick? How do I love God? Why do I love other people? How do I show His grace? How do I search for truth? How do I deal with the doubts which surely assault any person who believes in something they will never get to see or touch? How will I ever find a purpose in this life if I never know who I am?
Who am I?

If I surrender on the lifelong search for these answers, there likely will be a thought to replace my life.