In my last post, I explored the dynamics of our perpetual quests for lasting happiness. Accordingly, I wrote about the discouragements we all face in the happiness-seeking cycles of our lives, and I also expressed how elusive happiness can be to both find and maintain. Finally, I wrote that all these frustrating happiness-seeking cycles can eventually lead us into a disappointing darkness; yet, ironically, such an unpleasant destination might just cause us to shift our happiness-hungry hearts and minds toward vertical, heavenly realities.In the book of John, chapter 17, Jesus' high priestly prayer to His Heavenly Father repeatedly infers that Jesus perceives the cosmos as having two, overlapping, co-existing realms: a heavenly, invisible realm and an earthly, visible one (e.g. Jn 17:7-8 cf. Gen 1:1; Col 1:15-16). In fact, within this prayer, Jesus discloses that He has been sent to earth on a heavenly mission that is ultimately aimed at reconciling and reuniting these two alienated realms (Jn 17:4 cf. Mt 28:18; Col 1:20; Eph 1:10; Rev 21:1-2).
Accordingly, maintaining a firm, fixed conviction of this two-realm view of the cosmos is vital, as many people (even professing Christians) live as though there is but one earthly, visible realm; multitudes of people live as though the only world that truly exists is the one they can perceive with their five bodily senses. However, per the Scriptures, this is what the "fool" (in contrast to the wise) says in his heart (Ps 14:1), even if he's not a card-carrying atheist.
And, unfortunately, this is precisely where many of us lose our spiritual way. In reality, our "faith" is rooted in our own, uninformed, spiritual blurriness (even if we highly respect the Bible), and our happiness-hungry hearts and minds are myopic, primarily focusing on earthly realities and priorities. So, whether we are blind (unbelieving) or nearsighted (believing), per the Scriptures, we would do well to re-consider our worldviews and re-align our priorities (Jn 5:39-40).
In addition, if we only perceive the world corporeally, via our five senses, in reality, we are also maintaining a worldview that is perilously inadequate and incomplete (cf. Rom 1:18, 19-20; 1 Tim 1:17; Heb 11:27). And, perhaps most tragically, we are snubbing cosmic truths that are connected to a divine joy that we all desperately need, a heavenly joy that is indispensably connected to ultimate human blessedness and bliss (Jn 17:13).
Note: This post is one in a series of posts entitled, "The Problem of Happiness." Sometime soon I'll post another installment, so be sure to come back and finish reading the series. On Sunday evenings, as part of the ministry of Park Woods Presbyterian Church, I'm currently leading a Bible-study/Fellowship on this topic. These weekly Bible studies are an even deeper look at The Problem of Happiness, so if you are interested in a fuller treatment of this subject, access the more elaborate study notes here: comprehensive "Problem of Happiness" study notes.
