I had a conversation with a young lady recently that left me pondering. Of course, as always, I think of what I should have said when the conversation is long past. Even so, I believe these thoughts are God reminding me of some truths and are worth writing down.

Our conversation centered on where this young lady is in her search for what she wants to do with her life. She’s in her mid-20s, in a dating relationship, and has finished college. She’s highly intelligent and so fun to talk to, as she thinks deeply about things and has a passion to make her life meaningful and to contribute to society in a positive way. She’s kind and funny, curious and brave, loves to experience different cultures, is well-traveled, and adventurous to the point that I’m fairly sure makes her grandmother pray a lot!

I loved hearing her share about the things that she enjoys, the way her mind works, and how she’s searching for a meaningful career that puts all of this together.

This young woman’s search isn’t unique; we all have the desire to make our lives count for something worthwhile … to choose jobs, hobbies, and passions that fulfill us. What we often forget, however, is that God made us uniquely in His image, as a “tri-part” being. We are body and soul, but we are also spirit.

In our search for meaning, our tendency is to look first at the “body.” What are my skills and talents? What can I do physically, and what are my limitations? Do I have a disability or unusual challenge in how my body works? What gives me pleasure and satisfaction in how I use my body – exercise, athletic competition, performance, sexual relationships, etc.?

We realize that physical satisfaction is only one piece of the puzzle. We also have a soul, which is made up of our mind, emotions, and will. What challenges me intellectually? What cause am I passionate about? Do I find satisfaction in issues of justice? The Law? Politics? What causes me to have empathy – what moves me? Homeless people? The hungry or sick? What fills me up emotionally? What decisions do I want to be able to make with my life? Do I need to break away from someone else’s will for my life to exert my own power in making decisions?

This is usually where we stop because it’s where our culture and worldview inform us that if we find these two pieces of life’s puzzle, we should be satisfied. We form our identity and purpose on our body and soul, ignoring that God has also made us spirit.

What is the spirit?

It is that unseen, immaterial part of man that God created in us, so that He, as a God who is Spirit, could communicate and fellowship with His creation – humans.

I like to think of this in layers. First, we search for what satisfies our bodies, then our souls. But if we never get down to that deeper place, to the “spirit” level, we will remain unsatisfied, no matter how “fulfilled” we believe our body and soul to be.

We know this is true. Material possessions speak to our body and soul, but no matter how much we accumulate, eventually, we realize we want something more. The law of diminished return kicks in, and we begin our search again for fulfillment. We think the right relationship will be “it,” but soon our souls are dissatisfied, for after all, people are human, and they will inevitably disappoint or hurt us in some way.

My prayer is that the young lady I had a conversation with realizes that she is body, soul, and spirit and that it is only a relationship with her Creator that will ultimately fulfill her. Only when our spirit has been renewed and regenerated – reconciled with the One who made us – will we find our life’s purpose. Only then can we truly use our body and soul as it was meant to be used – to glorify God.

Why is this? What happened to our spirit that leaves us believing we can find what we want in our body and soul?

Scripture tells us that we are born with a broken spirit. Our connection to God was severed by sin in the Garden by our common ancestors, Adam and Eve, and we inherited that broken spirit.

That’s why Christmas is so special…Jesus came to fix what was broken. He came to restore what sin destroyed. His death on the cross satisfied God’s holiness and justice, for the wage of sin was death – death to our spirit.

By faith in Jesus, asking for His forgiveness, and the application of His sacrificial blood on our account, we are given HIS Spirit, Who brings our spirit back to the truly satisfying life that God always meant for us to have.

One day, all of us will face physical death. The body that was once strong and hearty and able to do many amazing physical things will lie in a hospital bed, weak and fading away. The soul – our personality made up of our mind, emotions, and will – will also suffer loss. Our minds will not work properly anymore. Our speech will be hard to understand, and we will be unable to communicate with our loved ones as we once did. And eventually, the body will be an empty shell.

What will remain, however, is the spirit that God has brought to life. It will remain steadfast until such time as God calls our spirit home to be forever reunited with Him, where our spirit and soul will dwell in a new, eternal, glorified body – just as He always intended.

A word of warning. Even people who do not believe in the Bible or in God recognize at a certain level they are searching for something spiritual. Unfortunately, many things attempt to imitate the true spiritual life that Jesus came to give us. Religions built on good works “appear” to bring life to your spirit, but ultimately, they are built on body and soul – what YOU can do. What is dead cannot “act on itself” to come to life. We need the life-giving Spirit of God to do the work in us that only He can do.

What I would love to tell any young person who is beginning their search for a career that will satisfy, or what they might do with their life that brings meaning, purpose, and satisfaction is: start with your spirit. Discover the One who created you to be the amazing, unique, and wonderful person you are, and let Him direct your steps to fulfill your body and soul.

When your spirit is brought to life and reconciled to Him, it won’t matter what career you have, where you live, or even what you accomplish. You will know then, and only then, what life is meant to be.