Articles
Choosing Joy and Hope by Choosing God
For better or worse, humans can often associate happiness with this life. Unfortunately, we all also live in an impermanent and tangible world. Which means that the temporary pleasures of this life have the temptation to become our existence. Different schools of hedonism pursue pleasure because there are beliefs that pleasure dictates or describes the truth behind our actions and is the only thing with intrinsic value. However, God our Creator in Heaven tells us differently.
Psalm 16:11 reads, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Temporary pleasures and physical things do not lead to eternal life or even a full life. They are temporary pleasures that bring fleeting happiness instead of everlasting hope and joy (Proverb 10:28). In order for God to bestow His promise of eternal salvation on His children, the Bible tells us that we need to acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior by being baptized. Romans 10:9-12 says, “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” God’s gift of eternal salvation is free to us because Jesus paid our debt of sin by shedding His blood.
When we accept His free gift of grace by getting baptized, God gives His Spirit as a guarantee that He will do as He has promised. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 reads, “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will aid us in our relationship with God by teaching us His ways and helping us remember Him (John 14:26). When we honestly live by God’s teachings after baptism, His Spirit will also renew our minds and actions. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Living with God in our hearts might lead to physical pleasures in this life, but those are nothing in comparison to the eternal hope and spiritual blessings He bestows.
Chasing temporary physical pleasures might make us happy for a short time but they will never lead to the hope of eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8 reads, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” As God renews our minds, glorifying Him and spreading His righteous light becomes the motivation behind our actions. According to God, our souls are what holds intrinsic value, not fleeting pleasures. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-27, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.” When Jesus Christ and His angels come, do you want to reflect that you spent your time chasing the fleeting pleasures of this life? Or, that you sought God and through Him found lasting joy and eternal life?
