One of the hardest truths we humans do not want to experience is the cross. The cross is the place where our old sinful nature is killed. Once it is destroyed, the renewed personality will be ready to receive God's wisdom and favor. The power of God can be easily manifested through us when our nature is freer from the ego's urges, which the apostles in the New Testament repeatedly taught about crucifying. But this crucifixion does not happen overnight; it is part of our life's journey, as we are regularly cleansed to grow into the image of Christ. The best thing we can do is minimize the damage to both the soul and the body, because the cross accompanies the bleeding of the soul and the suffering of the body. Yet, the faithful God comes into the person's life, bearing the fruit of resurrection—the repeated cycle of death and resurrection, which happens to a pursuer of God to grow into the highest life destined for us.

To make the pain of the inevitable cross as low as possible, it is wise to act in love beforehand. Today's benevolent actions help decrease the hurt of tomorrow's challenges. It is also wise to be modestly optimistic and pessimistic at the same time: the optimistic disposition focuses on the abundant grace and goodness of God, while the pessimistic disposition acknowledges the dark nights the soul must experience to regularly purify itself.

When we become children of God and members of His kingdom here on earth, new rules are placed upon us that are crucially important for keeping ourselves secure. Truth is about knowing these rules and walking according to them. Freedom is one of the most desired and pursued attributes of the human soul, and Jesus told us in John 8: 31-32

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

that it is obtained through knowing the truth.

There are different levels of truth. Some are personal, meaning they apply to each of us in different ways. A rule that is meaningful for one person might seem irrelevant to another, so we must discern our personal truths independently. The other kind of truth is general, which applies to all of us. The prerequisite to understanding truth is living in love and regularly reading the Bible. When reading Scripture, no part should be skipped simply because it seems irrelevant. By doing this faithfully, the path of freedom will begin to be revealed to us.

One of the purposes of a Christian's life is to be a soldier of Christ, fighting on behalf of the Lord of Hosts—a name for God mentioned multiple times in the Bible meaning "army." This implies that a key aspect of our lifestyle is to be soldiers through whom Christ reigns. Our maturity and trustworthiness are therefore crucial for God's Kingdom and its universal agendas, which are achieved as we co-labor with Christ.

As soldiers always on standby to fight the enemy, we must be prudent. While our holiness and purity are essential to let God work through us, our carelessness can make us more vulnerable than anyone else. This world and its spirits are hostile to our new nature. Therefore, just as our strength has the power to subdue it to Christ, our weakness can make us prey to its attacks. We must guard against enticing ideas and offers, prioritize spiritual devotions, and wisely manage our conversations to avoid giving ground to others who would undermine our faith. This aligns with Jesus's warning not to share our holy identity carelessly Matt 7:6.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

The Bible shows us how mistakes have serious consequences. We see this in what emotional actions cost great men of God: Abraham's impatient decision, Moses's angry reactions, and David's carelessness.

Proverbs 3:3-4 (King James Version)
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

As stated in the above verses, the two virtues—mercy and truth—are the required inputs to find favor from the Lord. We know about mercy: it is an action of goodness and forgiveness that is backed by faith. We need faith to be merciful because it requires great persuasion against the ego to be willing to forgive and be kind. It sometimes costs us the sacrifice of our fleshly old self, which, if done, will eventually attract God to the soul.

Though it is right, it may not mean much to be kind and smiling toward the great and rich (James 2). But when those we esteem less need our compassion, the old self may bring up many reasons not to be kind and forgiving. It might even try to spiritualize its hardness in the name of justice or spiritual war. Yet such points in life are opportunities to practice faith. It is important to exercise mercy, since it is one of the major laws of God. We can see how serious God is about His laws by studying the judgments the Israelites went through in the time of Moses and the prophets, or by simply reading the famous Deuteronomy 28.

Mercy is more about suppressing the worldly old self to let the will act in a patient, kind, and forgiving manner, hoping God will amend any unjust burden the person may be carrying for the sake of love. God is faithful in giving justice to our causes. But at the end of the day, it is best if the person remains faithful in being merciful (Romans 12:19–21).

What about truth? We can observe at different points in Scripture that truth is mentioned after mercy, love, and faith. It is also easy to notice, when we read the Bible, that Truth, Light, Freedom, and the Favor of God are all interrelated. The fleshly nature in us will think logically and callously disregard others for the sake of self-interest, but faith gives us the persuaded willingness to be sympathetic and empathetic. Once we have set our feet on love in this way, we can then seek truth from God, because the door to heavenly light will be open to us. This light is what helps us see and understand the will of God. God's will is the truth; it is this truth that enables us to live the higher life, and it is also what grants us freedom and prosperity. But to know this truth is not cheap or easy—it costs us love, as explained earlier. Once we have passed this challenge of love and begun to be enlightened with the truth, spiritual gates will open for us, helping our inner senses perceive the wisdom of life.

In Proverbs 8, wisdom itself speaks, describing how receiving it is the key to our purpose in life. At the end of the chapter, it declares that favor and life are obtained through it, while failure to find it results in death. It seems very black and white: either we live the higher life through light, or darkness will overtake us and lead us to hell.

If we are called to the kingdom of God, it is important to be aware of our purpose in life. Such knowledge about our calling will help us lead our lives with the right expectations and guard our souls from losing hope. Before our spirit is born again—when we acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ and His work of salvation—our life is about revealing our potentials for our own benefit. But once we become children of God, life becomes about revealing Christ’s glory and authority in this world.

Our spirit is the tabernacle of God, as it is written in 1 Corinthians 3:16:
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
The sole purpose of our life is to let God accomplish His plans in the world through us. That is why it is a great and different responsibility to live as a Christian. This does not mean we ought to preach and focus only on the Bible and spiritual activities, but rather that whatever we do or pursue—whether it be our academic passion or any useful endeavor—God can be part of it and use it for His glory. Such a wide perspective will help us exercise our devotions and live in benevolence.