200-Proof, Eternal Joy
A Life of Joy
Each of us are moved each day by various motivations to take action. When we are hungry, we eat. When we need money, we work. When we are afraid of getting sick, we take all kinds of vitamins. When we are feeling out of shape, we (hopefully) exercise.
Each of these motivations are rooted in different needs, fears or pleasures that we seek to satisfy, keep at bay, and maximize. But which of these motivations takes the cake? The general consensus from movies, TV shows and other forms of social entertainment seems to lean toward fear being the most powerful motivator. The tyrants, jilted lovers, politicians, superheroes and mobsters are all tapping into the terror they can cause to bring about their own agenda, knowing that fear is a strong catalyst. I would contend that, while fear is potent, joy and pleasure are far more powerful motivators.
We find the basis for this hypothesis in the Psalms: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11 ESV). In other words, the path to God - which is life - is the road to increased joy and pleasure. Let's break it down a little bit.
Taking the Path
First, notice that he said "path of life", not "paths of life". As Christians, we all have individual journeys toward God, but they all take place on the same path. That path is Jesus. He declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him" (John 14:6-7 ESV). So in order to reach the ultimate joy and pleasures, we need to follow in the steps of Jesus, accept his deity, and allow him to be the director of our lives. If you are not on this path yet, I would like to challenge you to take a step onto the path. I promise that you will be blown away by what you find there.
Next, once we are on the path, something extraordinary occurs. We begin to walk into the presence of God where joy and pleasure exist. Not only is there joy, but it is full joy! Not only is it pleasure, but everlasting pleasure. These serve two primary purposes. Firstly, that God desires for us to be happy and complete in him. There cannot be any real joy outside of his presence, so in order to give us the joy, he must draw us toward himself. Secondly, the joy and pleasure are critical to the process we must go through in Christ to become holy. In one of his talks, John Piper stated that the full joy and eternal pleasure from God are the only two motivators that will always work if we keep them in our sights. No other motivation, be it fear, loneliness, or anger, is as effective as the unbreakable promise of future joy and pleasure. While we may not experience them in their entirety in this life, we are constantly given glimpses and tastes in order to remind us where we ought to be heading. It is imperative that we latch onto the holy joy and pleasure that God gives us in order to remind ourselves of what's coming.
How do we increase this joy and pleasure that are supposed to help us on the pathway to life? What if we don't feel anything remotely close to happiness? After all, there is no lasting joy and pleasure outside of God and we need them to get to God. This apparent catch-22 is broken when we ask God to bring us the motivation we need. It is time for all of us to begin to pray consistently and with greater intensity that we would receive and maximize the joy and pleasure that will help empower us to run to God with greater intensity. Without it, our journey is hopeless. With it, our journey is unshakable.