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Isa 29:19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD
God has recently
added a couple, Douglas and Lisa, onto the eldership/ pastoral team at Highway Church and Canada
In the beginning of this year, I read an article on the deteriorating moral fibre of humanity. Twenty years ago, one of the best selling books was written by a Jewish psychiatrist that survived the holocaust, and it was called “Man’s Search for Meaning” (first published in the 1940s). Recently, a movie based upon a best selling memoir, “The Pursuit of Happiness”, has made headlines across the globe. I’m sure you’ve seen it. The emphasis on meaning, the value of suffering, and responsibility to something greater than the self seems to be at odds with our present culture, which is more interested in the pursuit of individual happiness than in the search for meaning.
However, recent research
(past 3yrs) shows that having purpose
and meaning in life increases overall well-being and life satisfaction,
improves mental and physical health, enhances resiliency, enhances self-esteem,
and decreases the chances of depression. "Happiness without meaning
characterizes a relatively shallow, self-absorbed or even selfish life, in
which things go well, needs and desire are easily satisfied and difficult or
taxing entanglements are avoided". The single-minded pursuit of happiness
is ironically leaving people less happy.
In a new study, which will be published this year in a
forthcoming issue of the Journal of
Positive Psychology, the psychologists found, that leading a happy life is associated with being a
"taker" while leading a meaningful
life corresponds with being a "giver." The pursuit of
happiness is thus associated with selfish behaviour. People become happy when
they get what they want. Happiness is an emotion felt in the here and now, it
ultimately fades away, just as all emotions do; positive affect and feelings of
pleasure are fleeting. Meaning, on the other hand, is enduring. With the
pursuit of happiness there is no place for suffering but with the pursuit of
meaning, suffering becomes meaningful.
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| Russell and Helen with my kids and me (photo by Monique) |
But we did not need to read any of this research to
know this… for it is written roughly 2000 years ago by God, the creator of all
things. He did not need to write a thesis. He did not need to make a hypothesis
that He needed to prove or disprove. No. He spoke and it was. He is the giver
of the only lasting, true meaning to life and He spoke these words:
"Truly, I say to you, there is no one
who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or
lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now
in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and
lands, with persecutions (with sufferings for it has meaning), and in the age
to come eternal life!!
But many who are first (selfish, pursuing their own happiness)
will be last (depressed, unhappy),
and the last (those who puts themselves last, who places God and His kingdom
first) will be first (live satisfied, joyous, content lives)." (Mark 10:29-31) Words
in brackets added.
The ordination of Douglas and Lisa Watt onto eldership
(Pastoring) is only a public act of something they have settled a long time
ago- “me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” They understand that in
devoting their lives to something bigger than themselves; devoting their lives
wholeheartedly to what truly matters (not only for eternity but also for here
and now) results in a return of abundant, lavish, loud life and love and hope
and faith that makes the sacrifice irrelevant- the little that you had to pay
to purchase the “pearl of great price”. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of
fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value,
went and sold all that he had and bought it."
(Mat 13:45-46)
Jesus! The best thing that can ever happen to you…
May we not settle for a
mediocre Christianity, where we pursue our own pleasures with Jesus as our
“fire insurance” or worse, our “genie-in-a-bottle”. The mediocre Christian
places his or her happiness before giving a thought to its impact on God’s
Kingdom; before considering others: “I feel
like staying in this week-end and watching dvds… its been a tough week for me,
I’m sure our life group will understand even though we are serving. I had to
catch up on all my work this past week since I’ve been on vacation in Jamaica,
besides, I have a very important interview on Monday….I hope it doesn’t rain,
then my hair will look terrible. Jesus, please don’t let it rain on Monday, I
know you really want to bless me with this position and I really need to look
at my best to pull it off.” And then when we don’t get the
position, we blame God and are unhappy.
Instead, may we follow Jesus
Christ who gave himself fully for us! May we pursue a life of meaning- staying
true to the call (of Christ), Eph 4:1. May we be those who seek first the Kingdom of God
[P.S. Becoming an elder/pastor is
not a pre-requisite for living a life of purpose, but asking God what He wants
you to do with what He has given you and then to be obedient to Him- that is a
pre-requisite (read Matt. 6).
Whether you’re a blue-collar worker in a factory,
or a high profile CEO, whether you are a mom or a seamstress or a nurse or an
entrepreneur, He has a purpose for placing you where you are and a huge part of
your calling is to mirror the attributes of Christ in order to draw those
around you (closer) unto Him. May the joy of the Lord be our strength!]
References:
BIBLE (read it, it is full
of GREAT stuff that others prove to be true only 2000 yrs later)
