Words: 822
Time to read: 4 minutes
We are surrounded by discontent. At every turn, we are faced with the impulse to satisfy our lust for more, satiate our thirst for keeping up, or simply get ahead of everyone else. Social media has been the proverbial gas on the fire. And make no mistake–we’re all influenced by this. Even if it’s an askance or an acerbic comment bathed in cynicism and/or sarcasm, we all struggle to remain content with who we are and what we have.
This is by no means a new struggle. Christians have long struggled to attempt to strike the right balance between living in the light of our eternal home and our current reality of the nasty here and now. Paul admonished the Colossian church to set their affections on things above. He reminded the Ephesian church that we are seated together with Christ already in heavenly places. Jesus enjoined us to lay treasures up in heaven. This all points to the dithering nature of the believer–he knows that he is only a pilgrim but he still must deal with his current state of affairs.
With the rise of technology this has only been exacerbated to the point that we find ourselves in an unhappy condition: either swim with the current or drown in the undertow. We are bombarded with envy and jealousy. Many times it is completely passive. We see this person (that we really don’t know, just what we think we know through social media) taking an extravagant vacation. We see another buying a new car. We have a conversation with our spouse about needing something and suddenly our scrolling through our favorite browser or app is riddled with innumerable appeals to buy, buy, buy that exact object (and 20 others just like it). It can even be delivered today if you’re anxious enough.
I’m not saying Amazon Prime is wicked and evil. I am saying that it’s a condition and an obvious gauge of where we’re at as a society. I am not saying that capitalism is evil. I am saying that the excessive ornaments of a wealthy and prosperous society lend themselves to complete distraction and desolation of the believers’ hearts.
So where does that leave us? We find ourselves at times swept up in the current. Or as I already alluded, completely carried away.
And let’s be real–it’s fun to get swept away. Who doesn’t want to have a flex on social media? Who doesn’t like to have the latest and greatest? But once the tide has turned we find we are marooned on the island of dissatisfaction and discontent. What we once thought was a solid footing is simply a mirage rising out of the propaganda and advertisement of our booming economy. We are left disillusioned. We are left empty. We are left completely joyless.
And what a pity that is! Christ has not saved us to merely wander aimlessly amid the current of the latest and greatest or to be swept away in the flow of maintaining appearances. We have a very specific job while we are on this pilgrimage here. We are to reflect the glory of God and revel in the true joy that only Christ offers.
When all the fancies and pleasures of this life have inevitably dried away and we are left with nothing of meaning, it is Christ alone who remains.
The issue is that it should not have to come to being deceived by the vanity of our world system to be able to already see right through it. We have been forewarned in God’s Word. We have chosen not to believe it. We have chosen to substitute perceived happiness with true joy that is enduring. We have chosen to believe the promises of a world determined to convince us that we need their latest and greatest widget to truly be happy–until the next widget comes out. We have chosen a lie over the eternal truths of God’s Word.
I am not talking about the world. I am talking about born-again Christians. I am talking about the church. Protest as you may the fact is that the world has infiltrated and inundated the local church through the hearts and minds of its members. We are infatuated with the marvels of our age. We are obsessed with having it all right now and perhaps never has there been a time with such dissatisfaction and discontent in the pews and pulpits.
Over the coming weeks–I really have no idea how long I will work on this series–I want to explore the joy that Christ alone offers. I want to challenge our hearts to seek the true joy found in having Christ. I want to test my own heart to see what my priorities are. I want to rediscover the simple satisfaction that can only be experienced when living in submission to His Word and Spirit.
Let’s rediscover joy. I hope you’ll come along.