Everyone wants a happy ending. Whether it is the knight in shining armor, riding off in the sunset, or happily ever after. What I've noticed in church recently is how we pounce on happy people to set them straight on the realities of life (as if they don't already know them). We want to make sure that everyone knows that happiness is fleeting and being part of the Christ story involves suffering and resistance to evil. And while those things are true, the fact is that God wants for us to be happy and joyous. He does not desire for us to suffer, but understands that while we live in a broken world that suffering will occur. God desires happiness. Yes!, the kind of happiness that makes others sick, where the world is full of puppies and rainbows. God longs for us to smile from ear to ear and make nieve bubbly comments with disregard to the atrocities that surround us. However, when times fall hard, and they will, God wants us to fall back on joy. This is the inner happiness that gives us our glow when happy and our perspective when we are otherwise.
The truth about happiness is that God wins in the end. He has defeated Satan through the resurrection and therefore we should live happily ever after. So next time the nieve, bubbly college freshmen approaches you with how wonderful life is because this boy she just met shares all the same likes as her, try not to dash her hopes and speak "too much" reality into her gum drop world. And when the high school senior guy shares his determination that God has gifted him to play pro football, be gentle and supportive. Happiness is a great thing, maybe one of the best of things.
God is an agent of Happiness and joy. The truth is that with either won the same ending is true; We Win! Death has been conquered! The grave has no power! Satan is fighting little battles only to already know that defeat is the outcome of his war. In this vein we all receive a happy ending!
The truth about happiness is that God wins in the end. He has defeated Satan through the resurrection and therefore we should live happily ever after. So next time the nieve, bubbly college freshmen approaches you with how wonderful life is because this boy she just met shares all the same likes as her, try not to dash her hopes and speak "too much" reality into her gum drop world. And when the high school senior guy shares his determination that God has gifted him to play pro football, be gentle and supportive. Happiness is a great thing, maybe one of the best of things.
God is an agent of Happiness and joy. The truth is that with either won the same ending is true; We Win! Death has been conquered! The grave has no power! Satan is fighting little battles only to already know that defeat is the outcome of his war. In this vein we all receive a happy ending!
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