Forty Days Full - An Invitation To Real Life

Day Two: Really Living

“I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of .” (John 10:10b MSG)

J esus declared His purpose to give us this abundant life. Growing up in church was an interesting paradox for me. The Church was a place that fueled and encouraged my love for God. My parents were great role models and taught me to love Jesus. There are so many people who sowed good seed into my life. For this I am eternally grateful. But, along with the good there were things that didn't make sense. Some people seemed to love misery, as if it were some sort of merit badge worn by the super holy. In fact, it seemed like some celebrated death more than really living. Their future home in heaven was on their minds more than the life God had given them now. Happiness was to be avoided because that's what the world sought after, while we Christians pursued joy. Even now I have a hard time understanding the difference. Yes, I know the teaching, happiness is based upon circumstances and joy is the inner abiding of the Holy Spirit. It seemed to me that unbelievers lived with a continual 'yes,' which meant they could do whatever they wanted, while Christians were instructed to live with a perpetual 'no.' It was as if God could not trust us to live freely and joyful? This contradiction was not consistent with what I read in the Bible. To me, I want both happiness and joy in my life. In fact, the word blessed means happy.