Would That Make You Happy?

Hmm, interesting post this one might be. I was driving home tonight after work, kind of praying, kind of reflecting. It was a good time to do both, as it turned out. I didn't go to church tonight, I felt more like a one on one kind of time between me and God. I was kind of thinking about what happened last month (I am still thinking about it, I don't think I have learned everything yet) and its impact on me. Well, what impact has it had on me? Have I changed? Why am I asking questions like this?

I think it was when I got the thought that Christianity cannot simply be something in our lives that we enjoy but that does not change us. If it is, then it is useless. If the only change we have seen in ourselves is that we are happier, but not doing things differently, not thinking differently, not living differently to how we were previously than we are not living as christians ought, but very happy pagans, albeit religious ones. Christianity cannot simply be something to make me happy, or make me more successful. If it is only that, it is useless. But if it is more than simply that, it is what it ought to be.

The other thing that occurred to me is that happy people don't necessarily feel the need to change. They can choose to, I imagine, but they have little reason to. A happy man can look upon the world, and upon himself and be content. A dissatisfied man will look upon the world and upon himself and make a decision. To do something about it. Are you happy? Maybe you shouldn't be. Not that I am saying that happiness is a bad thing. On the contrary, I quite enjoy being happy. But I also enjoy eating, and I know that I should eat only so much before it gets dangerous or unhealthy.

Maybe last months events were supposed to teach me this. That happiness is good, for awhile but if it keeps you from taking the steps forward you need to take, it may be time to go without it for awhile. See what you learn. I'd like to make clear that I am NOT, repeat NOT saying that grim faith is a good idea. It isn't. In fact, it is a terrible idea, and it can kill you. Joyful faith is not simply being happy. I'll cover it in the next post.

Josh