“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:35,37
In this self-centered, pleasure hungry society, the mindset is for instant gratification rather than the pursuit for that which endures. This drives substance abuse, alcoholism, etc., the wasting of life for present exhilaration, while ignoring the consequences. And sometimes Christians allow time and opportunity with frivolity to supplant sowing to the Spirit to reap lasting benefits.
We all fall short of grasping the need to invest our lives to the extent we should in that which has eternal value. Human nature is earth bound, not heaven oriented, resulting in our thoughts and feelings being occupied with present satisfactions. We must pray and seek spiritual insight and vision to overcome.
For the most part, we think in terms of a happy day, rather than a blessed life. This can lead to discouragement and dissatisfaction when our quest is for happiness, rather than blessedness, because when our circumstances are not good, the “happy” is gone. In contrast, a blessed life isn’t dependent upon the circumstances that make happiness, but is underwritten by the unfailing person, power, and promises of God.
Consider Joseph. He was hated and sold into slavery by his brothers. He was falsely accused and imprisoned. After 13 years of oppression and loneliness, he was brought forth from prison and charged with the responsibility to save the world from the coming famine. It was a heart-rending matter to work for the conversion of his hard-hearted brothers. It certainly was not happiness that sustained Joseph, but rather the assurance that God had a plan and purpose for his life.
Consider Job, the Hebrew captives in the book of Daniel, and the honor roll of the faithful in Hebrews 11, they “….were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection” Hebrews 11:35. Truly it has not been happiness that has sustained God’s people, but rather their faith in that which is far greater: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:18 Happy is fine, but you don’t have to have happiness to have a blessed life!
SHARING
