What I'm about to say may not be accepted by everyone, but if you're not living for God, you're merely existing—not truly living.

Note. When I say "living for God,"I mean being fully surrendered and aligned with His will. Your life story is no longer your own; it becomes part of God's story.

Survival Mode

Without God, you are not truly living; you are merely surviving. Like a branch severed from the vine, someone in survival mode is detached from their source of life, struggling to find meaning on their own. The survivalist is lost, blind, and spiritually dead without realizing it. This separation is evident in their withering spirit, their endless search for contentment, and the sinful existence they lead.

The Survivalist Mode of Existence

A survivalist approach to life is inherently self-centered. These individuals are in a relentless pursuit of inner peace and happiness, constantly chasing satisfaction, comfort, and pleasure. Their lives are consumed by the quest for self-gratification, as they strive to escape feelings of lovelessness, loneliness, failure, boredom, pain, discomfort, misery, sadness, rejection, purposelessness, and the harsh realities of evil and death.

Monks retreat to mountains to escape the world’s toxicity, seeking peace away from chaos. Spiritualists meditate to renounce desires, hoping to transcend suffering and find serenity. Science and philosophy seek to uncover answers to the suffering and uncertainties of our world. Yet, these pursuits reflect a deeper attempt to escape the harsh realities we face.

The average person seeks escape in marriage, relationships, family, friends, careers, and money—constantly chasing something to make them feel alive.

The world does the same, building bigger and greater things to distract us from the reality of our existence. We get so enticed by our mansions, but what is a mansion but a house with more walls? Fame, fortune, power, and success have been sought before, and they will fade with us, only to be immortalized by those trying to escape the meaninglessness of their own lives.

You can recognize someone in survival mode by their self-serving actions. This self-focus is a hallmark of merely existing—constantly striving to stay afloat. Whether through adventure, hobbies, or philanthropy, many are motivated by the desire to feel good about themselves. It’s the same motivation that drives the sex or drug addict to seek their next high. The survivalist is entirely driven by the need to find contentment within themselves.

The reality of our existence is harsh, stark, and mundane—far from the glamorous, Hollywood version of life we often imagine. It was never meant to be anything more because this world isn’t our home; it’s a prison, a consequence of our choice to walk away from God and His protection. This world is designed to lead us away from our true selves and toward death and destruction. It’s temporary, existing only in the hope that we will eventually tire of merely surviving. No matter how close you get to that Hollywood ideal, the illusion will shatter, and the truth will come to light.

People seek to escape pain and suffering, but in a fallen world, avoidance is impossible. It’s better to confront the harsh reality of our broken world while still finding love and peace. True living emerges not from denying the truth but from embracing it while standing on solid ground. The only foundation that ensures stability amidst life’s struggles is Jesus. With Him, we can navigate the darkness, for He fills us with His light.

When we are truly with God, we begin to see, love, and understand as He does. We can even love this tragic, fallen world because we see it for what it truly is—lost and in desperate need of God’s love, just as we once were. Everything we do for God's glory is recorded in His book of life, remembered and celebrated forever. While we may endure suffering for a time, the joy of pleasing the Lord, and serving others, and the boundless joy that awaits us in Heaven will be immeasurable. This is true life, and it shines in the darkness because it is light.

This is what makes God so special: He sees us and the world fully—our good, our bad, and our ugly—and still loves us unconditionally. He doesn’t need us to be perfect to earn His love. God doesn’t turn away or try to escape from us; instead, He pursues us with relentless love. Through His love and strength, we can do the same. And as Christians, we are not just able—we are called to love others in this way. We are not called to escape the darkness but to be light.

Many may resist what I’ve said, but this resistance is driven by the survivalist within. If you haven’t realized this, the survivalist within each of us is our flesh. It tries to protect itself and escape from reality. However, remember that in doing so, you’re not just avoiding the truth—you’re running from God. You can keep running, but one day it will catch up to you.