Lets all say Amen! 3. Yes, he works all of our sufferings for his glory and our good. If you ARE miserable then stop and ask yourself, It is possible that I am being disobedient in some area? I know for me God uses misery to get my attention and reveal stuff to meand when I listen to Such a prayer might assume, however, that God wants us happy, comfortable, and satisfied. First of all, we see happiness in Gods very nature. Some people may not forgive us, but God can forgive us. Perhaps at your work someone will come to you and say: Were all going out to the pub this evening, do you want to come? And for many Christians, their answer will simply be this: Oh no, Im a Christian.. The other night something stood out to me in a huge way. So, the problem is not seeking joy. And then Jesus makes our life even more difficult in this Gospel passage from Matthew because now he seems to be changing the rules. God is sovereign, declaring the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), but he still cares about everything that happens in between. That is not what God calls us to. Rather, God wants us to live lives of abundant joy, peace and blessedness. There is a repeated theme in these readings about making choices. God gives us good gifts all the time. We all need help to find more fountains in our lives. In my theology, he is God and speaks for God. In a process I call tenderizing, because it fits on so many levels, and because apparently, I needed it, I have tried over the last two years to incorporate some of those virtues that Lindbergh mentions so that I can learn. I do understand that there will be times she does not have joy because of me. A friend once told me when I was searching for God, Life is hard. WebThe short answer is, no. 2. WebWhy in the world would God want you to be alone? But he doesn't do it with circumstance. WebLie #1: God doesnt want to hear from you anymore. The truth God always wants to hear from you, even if its been a while. I have counseled others; I have been in a position to chasten and to be chastened. Like Jesus, we have to discern. And if we think God wants us to feel constantly miserable in order to make us holy, then we wont grasp all of His love. All scars heal with time, not just the physical ones. And how can we be sure? Researchers Discover the True Smell of Ancient Rome, A Historic Black Church Was Awarded $1 Million in Lawsuit Against the Proud Boys, Christians Need a More Nuanced Understanding of Gentrification, God Making All Things New Doesnt Mean Christians Can Ignore the Environment, Majority of Americans Care About Environment as Much as Their Finances, Scientists Have Made Liquid Trees Because, Sure, More Than 400,000 People Are Homeless in the U.S. The command to rejoice always is not a command to be a coldhearted robot that pretends pain isnt real. I take a deep breath. Sports Betting Hits a New High: A Crisis in the Making? When we look at people, do we really see them? Photo By Terry Pluto / Cleveland.com. And yet, this choice, which I believe to be in alignment with Gods will for our lives, to thrive and to love and be loved, seems to fly in the face of Jesus interpretation of the rules about divorce. Where do you seek your happiness? And of course, he is doing it with the absolute moral conviction that he knows the mind of God because he is completely at one with God. WebIn Mark 10:1112 Jesus said, A man who divorces his wife so he can marry someone else commits adultery against her. There are more birds along the Columbia River than ever before (or I am walking more, or I am noticing more). It is a gift to weep. It is not selfish or greedy to follow your passion. Scripture says in Psalm 37:4 that if we will delight ourselves in the Lord that He will give us the desires of our heartBECAUSEthose desires will be pure and right in His sight. I marvel at family and friends who face difficulties greater than mine and still manage to be happy. The truth is, even the invitation to grow contains the desire of God to bring us to a deeper level of health, freedomand therefore happiness. I like this from Elliot Tramer: When youre going through hell, keep on going., 4. We need some friends we can trust. Sometimes to really understand what is being said in the Bible, it helps to define what is not being said. Ive been called to full-time ministry. Happiness doesnt mean something thats only surface level, even if people around us treat it that way. Are Christians meant to be the most miserable people on earth? 44:25 Find a combination of passion, talent, and money. It gets even worse than that because there are many people who have this notion about Christianity that it is purely about sacrificing and laying aside your pleasure, thats about really going through life lacking. As for most of us, what makes us happy? God is a good God that wants us to experience joy and pleasure in our lives. Fans send in their memories of former Tribe pitcher Jim Grant, A lesson from the life of Jim Mudcat Grant for all of us, Buying a very purple car and other things we really didnt want, Hai Karate aftershave, a pink tree, oysters for Christmas, Prune Pierogies, Black & White TV, Midnight Christmas Mass, The most frustrating, discouraging four letter word. Marriage Isnt the End Goal, Why Do We Treat It Like One? At times like this in our society, we have wandered far astray from the wisdom and guidance of God. If we are not absolutely convinced that God alone is good, we will not be able to say No to other gods that promise joy but deliver sorrow. Scripture not only says God Himself is our strength; It also says His joy is our strength. She chose life not only for herself, but for countless other people on the Underground Railroad. Its a way to think, to pray and to simply be. And he does it in and through circumstances. Let me say thisspeaking from personal experiencethe most miserable times I have ever had to endure in life were times when I was living in direct opposition to what the Lord wanted for me! Then somewhere along the way I grew up a little bit and I asked myself, Why not me? I am no better than the next guy and we all get trials in our life. This process often feels painful, and He doesnt ask us to just pretend like everythings OK and smile through it. God gives the strength we need; he must work within us. If you know you shouldnt say it DONT! Forgiving someone else doesnt mean justifying or diminishing what they did to us. But I say to you now.. Hes rewriting the rules to respond to the social problems of his time. Its confusing and messy, but its what God calls us to. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, he repeatedly says, You have heard it said in ancient times. When we dont know whether a choice were making is life-giving or harmful to ourselves or others, we can find answers in the people around us. You are about to become a drain and probably a pain to those around you. The birth of our daughter made me extremely happy, but sent him into a psychological crisis of desperate proportions. The answer is likely because the times when you are alone are the times when you can best hear what God is asking you to do. Each of these bullets has a story of its own to tell, but for now I will leave you with this: I have had some really hard days. I think): Dont look for advice on happiness by reading columns in a newspaper publication from a sports columnist.. He does not take Because of my diagnosis, I am part of the exclusive club of people who truly know that life will end, and the only possible insurance is to enjoy the moment. I will have to enforce rules, establish curfews and limit the amount of money she can spend on shoes. He does it with himself. Live joyfully. What makes me deserve all this pain? If that were not the case God would not have created the world in such a way. When were afraid, we look for people to blame, and God is a convenient target. Having been a part-time caregiver during my fathers 4 1/2-year battle after a stroke, and my mother-in-laws COPD reminded me of how God can bring me through things as those close to me faced death. BUTin reading Scripture and seeing how God works and moves and how Scripture says that He is our FatherWOWWHAT FATHER DOESNT WANT HIS KID TO BE FULL OF JOY! He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. I have read a number of accounts of the lives of women mystics in the Church, and a fascinating thread runs through all their lives. Greear On The Most Important Thing Your Church Is Probably Missing, Dont Allow Your Flaws to Define Your Life. When she planned an escape from slavery, her husband faltered and stayed behind, and she went on without him. Scripture says God rejoices over us with singing. This is not some uptight, stern judge who waits for us to mess up. He does not tell us to be like the monks who deny themselves everything and who try and pursue self sacrifice. He does it with The truth is, even the invitation to grow contains Often, Satans lies fuel our motivation to convince others that we are just fine with no struggles or flaws. But he does not enjoy breaking us. If a dream of mine is not coming true, is it sin to be discontent? Satan's lie to Eve was that God was withholding something good from her, when in reality God had given so much for Adam and Eve to enjoy in the garden. A nice meal. As long as Charisse is doing what is rightthere is NOTHING I will not do for her because shes my child. Now Jesus interprets it more broadly: we have to avoid anger. And yet I was a devout, practicing Catholic, and I just did not consider divorce a moral possibility. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.. Too often, we walk around with a heavy sense of seriousness. 2. For our premium ad-free experience, including exclusive podcasts, issues and more, subscribe to. 2. They manage to find the worst in everything always finding the down side. 2. We want the true love that we can find in the Bible our soul mate sent from God Himself. How Can We Make More Christians Care About the Environment? 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. What about those same dreams you have over and over? Or email lluginbill@tricityherald.com. While God wants us to be content in every situation, this does not mean we must become blind to real pain in the world and in our own lives. Where do we find Gods wisdom in our time? There was a rule in my head. So yes, God wants you happy. I have had enough, Lord, he said. The truth God always wants to hear from you, even if its been a while. What is the purpose of this world if it's so miserable? We get befuddled. 45:10 Commit to a life plan that embraces your passion. So we went back to counseling. While God wants us to be content in every situation, this does not mean we must become blind to real pain in the world and in our own lives. She thanked me for allowing her to ask questions and to disagree with me. Im adding some of my ideas, along with thoughts from readers who connected with my column last week called: The 7 Big Lies About Happiness. After treatment of what we thought was localized cancer and many more tests, we found that the cancer had spread. The short answer is, no He does not want you to be alone forever. But he does not enjoy breaking us. "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways." And yet, when I actually examined the theological underpinnings of my beliefs, I discovered that I didnt really believe two things: I did not believe that God wishes us to suffer emotionally, nor did I believe in an angry God who was going to deliver some kind of everlasting death unto us if we break a rule. Yes, he uses suffering to make us more like Jesus.