“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Mark 8:36–37 NLT)

Years ago, I ran into a guy I used to hang out with in school. I hadn’t seen him in twenty-five years. He called to say that he was coming to hear me speak, so we arranged to meet beforehand.

As we talked, he told me that he had been married twice and was presently divorced from his second wife. Then he said, “I basically drank my marriages away.” He went on to explain that he had gotten into the partying lifestyle and had never stopped. He said it had ruined his life.

I said, “You know, in the Bible, God says, ‘You will seek Me and find Me—’”

“You can quote your book, and I’ll quote mine,” he interrupted. “I’m in fellowship, too. I’m in a 12-step program.”

Once upon a time, our lives probably looked pretty similar. We enjoyed the same pleasures and chased the same vices. The difference was that I stopped chasing at the age of seventeen. And for him, the chase never ended. As I thought about the course his life had taken and the course my life had taken, it was clear to me who had given up the most.

There may be times when you look at unbelievers and think, “I don’t know, maybe they are having a better time than I am. Maybe I’m denying myself things for no good reason.” That’s when you need to remind yourself that looks can be deceiving. What looks like fun and freedom from a distance may turn out to be misery and addiction upon closer inspection. Make no mistake, there’s always a price to pay for sin. We all reap what we sow.

Jesus put it this way: “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Mark 8:36–37 NLT). The problem is that most people don’t realize that they are losing their souls. There is no “Check Soul” indicator light on the dash to warn us. There is a famous quote that goes, “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.” In that same vein, losing your soul is what happens when you are busy living life on your own terms. It’s what happens when you pursue success as you understand it or as society defines it.

If you live for Christ, if you determine to do things God’s way, you won’t regret it. Because you won’t find happiness or fulfillment through sex, drugs, or drinking. You won’t find it through relationships, success, possessions, or accomplishments either. You will find the happiness and fulfillment you’re looking for in life only through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Don’t risk losing your soul. Gaining the whole world is a poor substitute.

Reflection question: What do happiness and fulfillment look like in your life?

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