Earthly happiness or heavenly joy?
This morning as I was praying, God started speaking to me about the differences between earthly happiness and heavenly joy. We often think they are the same thing, but they are not. We seem to have this expectation that God wants us to be happy. But earthly happiness is our human response to our circumstances. If our circumstances please us, then we're happy. If our circumstances are uncomfortable or displease us, then we're not happy. This is not heavenly joy. Heavenly joy is experiencing the peace and joy of the Lord regardless of our circumstances.
When we read Jer. 29:11, we often interpret it as meaning that God is going to give us earthly happiness. But this is not the promise He makes in this passage. This passage is about our eternal life... the life that we have in the kingdom of Heaven.
When God speaks to us of prosperity, this is not a reference to earthly wealth. In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus tells us:
And this isn't just about money. This is about all those things on this earth that we hold precious to us including our relationships, our family, our jobs, our homes, our possessions, and our talents. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't appreciate these things or be grateful for them or take good care of them. But we are not to calculate our self-worth or identity on these things. Our identity is in Him, not in our earthly circumstances or possessions. In Matthew 6:33, we are told to “seek first His kingdom and righteousness,” and He will provide us with all that we need for our life on earth. We have to trust in that.
When the Lord speaks of His plans not to harm us in Jer. 29:11, we often interpret this to mean that we are not meant to suffer earthly pain and difficulties when we give our lives to Jesus. But, again, this is about our eternal life, not our earthly lives.
That is His promise for our eternal life with Him. However, while in this temporal earthly life, we are meant to share in Christ's suffering.
But we can take comfort in knowing that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [Romans 8:28]
The hope and the future that God promises in Jer. 29:11 is not about who we will marry, what kind of career we will have, or when we can retire. The hope and future that God promises is the hope we have in Him. The future we have in Him. Jesus died on the cross to give us that hope and future. This hope is the hope we have because Jesus defeated death on the cross for us. The future that He gives us is eternal life in His Kingdom.
That knowledge is supposed to bring us peace and joy regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in here on earth. Seeking His kingdom first, as we are instructed to do in Matt. 6:33, is about navigating life on this earth according to His will. Sometimes that will be uncomfortable. Sometimes that means that we won't get our way. Sometimes that means that we will have to do things that we don't want to do. Sometimes that means we will have to suffer.
But in those times of discomfort and suffering, we put our eyes on him. We put our hope in Him. And we trust that He is working in our circumstances to bring about the the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. His purpose, not ours. His will, not ours. His life, for ours. When we stop expecting our circumstances to make us happy (storing up our treasures on earth), then we can begin to experience the peace and joy that comes with trusting the Lord in all circumstances (storing up our treasures in heaven).
That peace and joy is eternal and does not rely on our circumstances. That peace and joy comes at a price... a price that has already been paid for by Jesus. Jesus gave up His life for us. Are we willing to give up ours (which includes our earthly hopes and plans) for Him?
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
JEREMIAH 29:11 NIV
When we read Jer. 29:11, we often interpret it as meaning that God is going to give us earthly happiness. But this is not the promise He makes in this passage. This passage is about our eternal life... the life that we have in the kingdom of Heaven.
When God speaks to us of prosperity, this is not a reference to earthly wealth. In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus tells us:
19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
And this isn't just about money. This is about all those things on this earth that we hold precious to us including our relationships, our family, our jobs, our homes, our possessions, and our talents. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't appreciate these things or be grateful for them or take good care of them. But we are not to calculate our self-worth or identity on these things. Our identity is in Him, not in our earthly circumstances or possessions. In Matthew 6:33, we are told to “seek first His kingdom and righteousness,” and He will provide us with all that we need for our life on earth. We have to trust in that.
When the Lord speaks of His plans not to harm us in Jer. 29:11, we often interpret this to mean that we are not meant to suffer earthly pain and difficulties when we give our lives to Jesus. But, again, this is about our eternal life, not our earthly lives.
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[Isaiah 25:8]
or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
REVELATION 21:4 NIV
That is His promise for our eternal life with Him. However, while in this temporal earthly life, we are meant to share in Christ's suffering.
12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you,
as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice inasmuch as you
participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory
is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for
the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If you suffer, it should not be as a
murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However,
if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that
name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins
with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18And,“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[Proverbs 11:31]
19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit
themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
1 PETER 4:12-19 NIV
But we can take comfort in knowing that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [Romans 8:28]
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion
and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort
those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5For just as we share
abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-5 NIV
The hope and the future that God promises in Jer. 29:11 is not about who we will marry, what kind of career we will have, or when we can retire. The hope and future that God promises is the hope we have in Him. The future we have in Him. Jesus died on the cross to give us that hope and future. This hope is the hope we have because Jesus defeated death on the cross for us. The future that He gives us is eternal life in His Kingdom.
That knowledge is supposed to bring us peace and joy regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in here on earth. Seeking His kingdom first, as we are instructed to do in Matt. 6:33, is about navigating life on this earth according to His will. Sometimes that will be uncomfortable. Sometimes that means that we won't get our way. Sometimes that means that we will have to do things that we don't want to do. Sometimes that means we will have to suffer.
But in those times of discomfort and suffering, we put our eyes on him. We put our hope in Him. And we trust that He is working in our circumstances to bring about the the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. His purpose, not ours. His will, not ours. His life, for ours. When we stop expecting our circumstances to make us happy (storing up our treasures on earth), then we can begin to experience the peace and joy that comes with trusting the Lord in all circumstances (storing up our treasures in heaven).
That peace and joy is eternal and does not rely on our circumstances. That peace and joy comes at a price... a price that has already been paid for by Jesus. Jesus gave up His life for us. Are we willing to give up ours (which includes our earthly hopes and plans) for Him?
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