When I was a kid I had a hard time focusing on anything for an extended period of time, so I loved to draw whenever I had the chance. Epic battle scenes covered the corners of math notebooks and church bulletins. I would lose myself in a fantasy world of knights, monsters and various Star Wars characters—all of which would be carefully collected by my mother. She kept every card I ever made her (although I’m sure she tired of the constant Ninja Turtle theme) and constantly affirmed my budding artistic talents. She kept this box (which had enough imaginary creations to make George Lucas, J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling jealous!) for years, but it eventually found its way to a storage closet in our basement.
Last May, I had the opportunity to spend some time in London and visited a famous art gallery. I don’t consider myself an expert in art, but some of the paintings blew me away! Works by artists like Raphael (not the one I used to draw on my mother’s cards!) were such a display of magnificent artistry that one could only stand back and admire.
A few months after I returned home I discovered that old box again. As I looked through the old notebooks I chuckled to myself. I had once thought these pictures were masterpieces, but when I compared them to the work of Raphael, I saw them as they were. It was like comparing a sand castle to Buckingham Palace; a piece of rice to the Hope Diamond; a Hungry Man TV dinner to a Thanksgiving feast prepared by grandma. My very best work looked like chicken scratch compared to the master’s!
I find the same is true in life. There seems to be a common misconception that God asks us to give up our happiness to follow Him. We must trade in our dreams and desires and give in to God’s plan for our lives. It all seems so unfair! Well, that depends on our view of God. If we believe in a God who isn’t all-knowing, who isn’t all-powerful and who doesn’t want what’s best for us, then this is a natural outlook. However, this is not the God I know. In fact, Jesus says,
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:10-11
The truth is, God loves us and wants what is best for us; we just set our sights too low. We pursue things of this world in order to be happy, but God offers more than happiness; He offers joy. Happiness is accepting your current situation; joy is being fully content in any situation. God does not sacrifice our happiness; our happiness is ultimately fulfilled in His will, and it is far greater than anything we could create for ourselves.
Mike Blackaby is 25 years old and is the college and young adult pastor at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, GA. Mike loves to play music, loves to snowboard, play hockey, and cheers for the Colorado Avalanche. He is terrified of spiders, but loves reading fantasy novels, watching movies, taking road trips, building camp fires, and will do any roller coaster if someone goes with him. You can contact him via Facebook.