Joy from Despair... based on perspective?

What a great class today.. We began with an extended exercise to document our coping mechanisms for handling serious "despair" scenarios.  The list extended from bible verses, to poetry, trips to the beach/mountains, music, family, loved ones, and even sports and exercise.  Everything on the board was relevant and perfectly articulated how we deal with problems in our world.  Rational, reasonable, logical.. and well explained.. Then the kicker arrived.. We cannot avoid the trials and sorrow..

 JOHN 16:19-22  (MSG)  Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, "Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? Then fix this firmly in your minds: You're going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You'll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness. "When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You'll no longer be so full of questions

"Joy is derived from the presence of God, not the absence of sorrow."  As humanists, realists, and "enlightened" thoroughly modern thinkers we tend to rely on our intellect, to control and try to manage issues to solve problems. This does not work. We solve for the symptom, not the disease/source.  As a class, we talked a lot about how the "coping mechanisms" we had all articulated "double" as mechanisms to seek the presence of God in our lives.  Even as the problems remain, the solutions must be centered in the JOY from "down deep in our heart" provided by God..

We are wired for joy and no amount of pleasure can complete that circuit..  From shoes, to jobs, to the internet and Facebook, to sports and entertainment... we must be sure that we seek joy rather than short acting, pleasures of our material, consumer driven society.  We are completed through the presence of Christ in our lives and he not only makes us whole, but provides us an imperative for action.  The world needs to continually hear the story of Christ.. to be reminded that he is our joy, not just for salvation but for everything in our life.  The difference between pleasure and joy is... "the presence of God" in the object, idea, or activity.  God is within in you and working all around you.  You must remember that and look to him, see him, trust him... It is really that simple..  Note that I didn't say it was easy. As we talked about in class, there is no Simple button in life. We know it, but we so often forget that.

"Theology without obedience is mere religious opinion." Wesley Handy 

We are COMMANDED to spread that joy to the world, the be the salt and light for the "greatest meal ever served"... Start by loving one another.. loving yourself, and seeking God in everything, everywhere! He is already there.. the only question is whether we choose to see him or see ourselves...

My favorite line from Bert's sermon today:

"Simple" -- 7 word summary of the Bible:

"I am God, and you are not!"