In an interview I was watching recently, a celebrity was asked, “Does all of your fame and fortune and success make you happy?” He said it didn’t, which didn’t surprise me, I’ve heard similarly from other rich and famous people that the things they thought were going to make them happy did not.
But I was surprised by what was said next. The celebrity then said that he did know the secret to happiness. He said, “Happiness is having something to look forward to.”
The more I considered those words, the more I realized the truth behind them.
Having something to look forward to is why followers of Christ can find joy in any circumstance. In life, everything we have can be taken away, can be lost. But nobody can take your faith. Nobody can take Jesus away from you. Nobody can take away the promises of God.
We have something to look forward to.
When Job was in despair, he looked forward to seeing God, Job 23:3, 3 “Oh that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat!
David said in Psalm 143:6, 6 I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land.
Isaiah said in Isaiah 26:9, At night my soul longs for You, indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently…
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
The author of Hebrews said in Hebrews 12:1-2, Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Job looked forward to one day seeing God; As did David, Isaiah, and Paul. The scripture even tells us that as Jesus was enduring the misery of the cross, He was looking forward to the joy of going home to be with God.
Until the day that our joy is made complete when we reach our eternal home, there are many things to look forward to in His service in this life, which, consequently, is the only way to find true happiness in this life.
Let us plan and look forward to doing the things of God in this life and in the life to come!
Much love!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
