"The abnegation of reason is not the evidence of faith, but the confession of despair."
- J.B. Lightfoot
Friday, June 8, 2007
This is where that Debbie Downer sad "wah wah" sound effect comes in. :-)
No, but seriously. Yesterday I listened to a message from my mentor-pastor (and honorary Thinkling) Mike Ayers called "Count the Cost," and I just had to jot down this choice quote: To be a follower of Jesus, you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life.
I think it's very important to note the place we tend to go off the rails most when trying to find God's will and to follow Jesus. We have this notion that difficulty or trial or problems are somehow indications of being outside of God's will, conveniently forgetting that Jesus himself promised us trouble, that Paul himself called suffering a privilege, and that the entire testimony of Scripture speaks to difficulty as the very refining process through which our faith is matured and our characters are made most like Christ's.
There's nothing wrong with seeking safety and ease, except when we do so at the expense of faith, and therefore at the expense of holiness. Jesus did not come to enhance our lives, to somehow give us the American dream of "life, love, and the pursuit of happiness." He came to give us life, because we were dead. He came to give us the gift of God's grace and love, and many times the experience of grace and love finds us smack dab in the ups and downs of a life requiring patience, faith, endurance, and hope.
The fruit of the Spirit is not comfort, happiness, convenience . . .
The fruit of the Christian life is not meant to be circumstantial and emotional. They are deeper, faith-rich qualities born of adversity.
Jesus did not come to make you happy. He came to make you holy. And there is a joy in that process we can find that is much deeper, much greater, much better than the happiness we are far too easily pleased with.
Trackbacks:
Trackback URL: http://thinklings.org/bloo.trackback.php/3910.
Comments on "Jesus Didn't Come to Make You Happy":
2. jen
- 06/09/2007 9:22 am CDT
My pastor spoke on this a little while ago - seems there's a real need to remind Christians of this lately.
3. nhe
- 06/12/2007 8:46 am CDT
What would it look like if I REALLY renounced comfort as the ultimate value of my life?.....I'm not sure I know, but it's definitely necessary.......This ballfield vs. battlefield - Scripture tells us life is a battlefield........most of us daily treat it like a ballfield.
4. The Ancient Mariner
- 01/17/2008 9:04 am CST
OK, so I'm going to take advantage of the new order to post a quote I wanted to post here last July:
See, I believe that if you were chosen—that if you were elected—I believe that if God has anything for you it’s not just to make you happy. God did not choose you and call you out of this world just to make you high. And God didn’t choose you and God didn’t call you out of this world just so that you could be pious. Because there are enough pious people and there are enough happy people in the world. What God called you for and what God called you to is to make a difference in the world.
—Rich Mullins, Here in America, intro to “None Are Strongerâ€
5. johnna
- 10/24/2008 6:39 am CDT
Hi Thinklings - A friend of mine and pastor sent me a link to your post about what pastors need to get to bring their preaching to the next level. Then, I sent the link to 20 of my friends that I met in seminary. I LOVE your quote at the top of your site! Haven't read more than two posts and the history of Thinklings, but want to encourage you - this site is looking good! Positive, encouraging, funny, and theologically stimulating. THANKS!
6. Bill
- 10/24/2008 6:47 am CDT
Johnna,
Thank you - that is very kind. Feel free to hang around :-)
7. surej
- 08/20/2009 4:07 pm CDT
yeah the pharisees also did not like Jesus because he was not what they wanted from a holy person..religious..is the word that jesus did not like..buddy he came to give u life in fulllness..don t let the devil steal and destroy the heaven on earth promised by god
8. Jared Alan Shelton
- 01/19/2010 8:47 am CST
I think he came to make us happy. Otherwise, "REJOICE", wouldn't be the most oft-repeated command in Scripture. The title of this post should instead read, "Jesus Didn't Come to Make You COMFORTABLE." After all, COMFORT is the word Ayers used. You cite Paul as an example, but certainly he was happy, wasn't he? While not comfortable? I think of singing in jail and whatnot....
9. Jared
- 01/19/2010 8:49 am CST
Jared, I talk about joy in the post. I believe it is a deeper-running condition the Bible calls us to than happiness, which is often conditioned on temporary circumstances.
Leave a Comment:
Right on. Christian joy is usually different from our culturally conditioned idea of "happiness."