Happiness
I just experienced a great birthday weekend. It’s been a rough couple of weeks, so part of the birthday present was a conscious effort to focus on positivity – positive thoughts, fun activities, and paying attention to what I needed to do to enjoy life. It didn’t take too much effort, and it worked! Despite a couple distressing things happening over the past two days, I have felt happier, “lighter”, and more in control of my life than I would have otherwise.
The funny thing about the Kingdom of God that Jesus promises is coming soon is that it’s already here – we just have to open our eyes to see the possibilities. As Michelangelo said:
In every block of marble I see a statue… I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.
The Kingdom of God is there, waiting for us to reveal it. The abundant life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10) is possible, if we’re able to prioritize it. Following Jesus is a easy burden, and often (though not always) a rewarding one. We ought to prioritize positivity and happiness in our lives more often so that we can see the blessings Jesus gives us instead of being stuck on the bad things that result from living in a world of sin. How can we live out hope in Christ any other way?