As a Christian, I have learned that joy and fulfilment are something that the world does not understand. My faith in Christ does not allow me to settle for things that are less than worthy of my time and energy. Christ does not allow me to find satisfaction in anything but Him. It is not because he does not want me to be happy, in fact it is the very opposite. He desires that I have true joy in glorifying Him. He understands that anything less than the act of being near to Him will never staisfy my needs to be fulfilled. Once you have "tasted and seen that the Lord is good"(Psalm 34:8) you crave more and more of it. Jesus understood this and lived His life seeking God first, no matter what the cost. Jesus had far from an easy life, yet He never doubted God's presence and will for His life. That gave Him the peace and joy He needed to live in this world.
When I refocus my eyes on Christ life makes a little more sense and seems a little more hopeful. I know this sounds cliche, so let me get specific. I follow a Man that worked a regular job for 30 years while still being fully God. He submitted to the authority of men that He created, and Jesus did it without sin. Jesus was mocked in His own hometown(John 4). The last 3 years of His life, while He was in ministry saving and healing people, He was homeless(Luke 9:58). The one night He needed His friends to stay up with Him, they passed out (Luke 22:45). Even though He never sinned, people wrongfully accused Him and beat him, whipped Him with razors, and then nailed Him to a cross. He is called " a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief"(Isiah 53). So when I refocus my eyes on this Jesus who knows what it is like to struggle in life, I find comfort.
Looking at the way Jesus walked this earth and the trials He went through you would think that He would have every reason to be unkind, unloving, and flat out angry at the world. Yet, He was the opposite. He served with the joy of the Lord as His strength. He loved God so much that He would rather spend time with the Father than sleep. He may have had all of the reasons to be mad at God, yet God was the very one He ran to and submitted Himself to. So I have to ask myself, how can I live like that?
When it comes to truely seeking God and His glory, my joy instantly follows. I should never be dumb enough to think that the road will be easy. Yes, there will be times of laughter, but also sorrow. There will be times of fun and excitement but also grief and tears. But as scripture says"Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere."(Psalm 84:10)
John 15 gives me direction. Jesus speaks of being The Vine and us being the branches. It talks of how we get our life from Him and our only job, as a branch, is to stay connected to The Vine. We do this by abiding, or remaining in a fixed place next to Jesus through His love. And then after explaining this Jesus says(v11), "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full."The world may never understand this and they may try to tempt me with momentary satisfaction. There is a pattern this world tries to have us follow, my job is not to conform, but to allow Jesus to transform me. When I let go of desiring instant gratification and hold fast to long term satisfaction in Jesus, it's a good day. Someday's it is as simple as remembering that Jesus loves me and I know this because the bible says so.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans12:2
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