The question of the meaning of life may be asked in many ways, such as Why are we here? or Does my life have a purpose? The Bible shows that our purpose in life is to build a friendship with God. Consider some of these fundamental truths that the Bible reveals.

•   God is our Creator. The Bible says: “It is [God] that has made us, and not we ourselves.”​—Psalm 100:3; Revelation 4:11.

•   God has a purpose for everything he creates, including us.​—Isaiah 45:18.

•   God created us with a “spiritual need,” which includes the desire to find meaning in life. (Matthew 5:3) He wants us to satisfy that desire.​—Psalm 145:16.

•   We fill our spiritual need by building a friendship with God. Although the idea of being God’s friend might seem far-fetched to some, the Bible gives us this encouragement: “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.”​—James 4:8; 2:23.

•   To become God’s friend, we must live in harmony with his purpose for us. The Bible states this purpose at Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.”​—Good News Translation.

•   In the future, we can experience in full God’s original purpose for us when he eliminates suffering and grants everlasting life to his friends, those who worship him.​—Psalm 37:10, 11.