Living for the Will of God Instead of Chasing What Will Pass Away

Mark had spent years chasing success. His closet was filled with suits, his driveway with cars, and his calendar with meetings. To everyone on the outside, he looked like a man who had it all. But at night, lying in bed, he felt empty.

Success without God leaves a man empty, no matter how much he gains.

The more he achieved, the less satisfaction he found. Each promotion gave a rush that faded in weeks. Each new car lost its shine after a few months. Mark began to wonder if this was all life really was, an endless pursuit of more that never delivered.

One evening, scrolling through his phone, he paused on a verse a friend had posted: “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17). The words unsettled him. He realized he had been living for everything temporary.

That night he pulled his Bible off the shelf, something he had not opened in years. He read the verse again, letting it sink in. The truth hit hard, everything he was building would one day fade, but God’s will would outlast it all.

The next morning, Mark drove past his office and pulled into a church parking lot instead. He sat in the empty sanctuary, head bowed, whispering, “God, I do not even know what it means to live for Your will. But I know I cannot keep living for mine.”

It was the first honest prayer he had prayed in decades. There was no dramatic sign, but he felt peace, like a weight was finally being lifted. He realized he had been serving a world that could never satisfy him, while ignoring the God who offered eternity.

Mark started small. Instead of working 70-hour weeks, he set aside time to be with his family. He began volunteering at a local shelter once a week, serving meals to men who had nothing. For the first time, he felt joy in giving rather than gaining.

Real joy comes when we choose the will of God and serve others with love.

Friends noticed the change. Some mocked him, saying he was throwing away his ambition. But Mark no longer cared. Their opinions no longer dictated his choices. He had found something deeper; purpose.

Over time, he discovered that doing the will of God was less about grand gestures and more about obedience in the everyday. Loving his wife faithfully. Being present for his kids. Offering kindness to strangers. Praying before making decisions.

Mark also faced temptations to return to his old ways. The pull of money and recognition still whispered to him. But every time, he came back to the verse: “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” It kept his heart steady.

As years passed, Mark no longer measured his life by wealth or possessions. He measured it by faithfulness. He was not perfect, but he was faithful to pursue the will of God each day.

He became a mentor to younger men, warning them not to waste their lives chasing what would vanish. He told them his story, hoping they would learn earlier what it had taken him decades to discover.

His greatest peace came from knowing that his life was no longer built on sand. He had found the Rock. The fleeting desires of the world no longer ruled him.

When people asked Mark what changed his life, he always pointed to 1 John 2:17. He would say, “I finally stopped living for what fades and started living for what lasts.”

His story is a reminder to every man: the world and its desires are temporary. But when you choose the will of God, you step into something eternal.

What do you find most tempting to chase instead of God’s will?

• Money and possessions
• Recognition and status
• Comfort and ease
• Short-term pleasures