Cheer up, for God's sake!

 

I have met many Christians over the years whose faces look like a mile of bad road. They look down as if they have a permanent bad smell under their nose. They may look pious but they are as boring as a mouldy rice pudding.

I think they do God a disservice. God created us to be happy. To enjoy life not to endure it. Our faith is not an endurance test to be lived until death comes to the rescue.

When we look at the life of Jesus, He lived it helping others to a better life. He healed the sick. He spent personal time with each one of them and made them better. He didn't say, "Oh ... hard luck. Just try to endure your misery until death ends it all for you!"

He healed people. He raised them from the dead. He brought them back to life. To a new life. To be lived to the full.

He was raised from the dead to conquer death once and for all.

We need to remember that when we live our daily routine from day to day. Let us enjoy life as God willed it.

Sure, there will be bad times. Difficult times. Terrible times even. I've had my share of them. I am not going to pretend that I was the life and soul of the party when things were bad. Far from it. I was miserable, and my faith may have been shaken somewhat. 

But in time, the hurt ceased to hurt, not as much as before anyway. I tried to smile. Not for my sake. Not for the sake of my loved ones. But for God's sake. I told Him I shall smile and try to do better to honour His gift of life to us.

We may have good reasons to be miserable.

But we have better reasons to be happy.