Happiness Now?

About a month ago I read a view point about a culture that once was. It told a story of a father coming home from work being greeted by his young son. A work that he was not particularly pleased with and found less than satisfying. But the story went on with the telling that he was ok with his lack of fulfillment and happiness here because he knew his eternal reward would be worth it all and far greater than any earthly pleasure he could ever reap. 

I latched on to this idea and started processing it. It took several turns down roads of varying degrees. It made me wonder if this is the very thing that is wrong with our culture today. After all, so much is said these days about finding your true happiness. You deserve it! Do whatever it takes to make yourself happy. I do agree that our culture is self centered but was that truly any less of an issue 100 years ago? Surely selfishness wan’t any less of a temptation or sin now than it was at any other time in history. So I remained with this idea unsettled in my mind. Is happiness only attained in heaven?

 
Do I just quite myself in the woes of this world, sit back and make the most of it while grumbling to myself about the great happiness that I will have one day? Is it enough that one day we will sit with the creator of the world, walk with him, and break bread with him who first was broken for me? That reward while great, isn’t even about me. It’s not that I’ve done anything to attain that reward. God attained that by giving his son to be broken for me. 

In John 6 Jesus told the people to work for the food that endures to eternal life. They asked him what this work was and he replied, “Believe.”

There was my answer! Jesus is enough! Jesus is enough for me in the now! I am happy, truly joy-filled because Jesus is enough, today, right now. I don’t have to wait for heaven to be happy with Jesus. I can fully trust him to handle all the woes and storms of this life. I content myself that he is with me in the here and now. He is here in the brokeness. I can choose to find happiness in the graces that he lavishes out each day. The beauty of seeing one tempted by worldly things making even one lovely choice is a reason to be happy, God is providing and Jesus is enough.

Jesus is enough.