06/07/2024
Repost from 3 years ago…because this is worth stating over and again:
Some thoughts on cynicism, optimism, returning to joy, and the Gospel. Sorry it is a bit longer of a post.
I think it is a fact that as we grow older, we become more jaded and even cynical toward life. In today’s world cynicism floods our worldview and one couldn’t help but think how could cynicism not? Especially with all of the political unrest we see around the world, the pandemic, potential wars, and for most of us, our comfortable lives being upended the last few years. For many years I valued so much the more bright and optimistic way of seeing life and the world, yet even within myself I have found a greater leaning toward cynicism and pessimism in my life and have even seen it creep into my theology the past few years. Suffering and hardship in our lives tend to lend themselves to the devouring of joy and peace from our lives. Any child like faith tends to become jaded by difficulty and disappointment. We find ourselves in a dark pit and we don’t know how to get out. A focus on Jesus and His Gospel tends to be replaced with apocalypse and the end of the world.
Yet, any precursory reading of the Gospels and one will find that suffering and optimism are rarely far apart. Joy and rejoicing are often paired with suffering and hardship. In a world where authenticity is the buzz word joy and rejoicing in hardship and suffering seem to produce inauthenticity. I’ve heard many people tell me they don’t like to pray or worship when they are upset or depressed because it feels inauthentic. So why would the writers of the Scriptures pair these words together? Why do the writers of Scripture, who lived under oppressive rulership that created economic hardship and religious persecution for them, seem to take a more optimistic approach to the world they lived in?
In Hebrews 12 the author makes this statement: “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls (1-3).”
You’ll see many more of these types of passages throughout the epistles that tell us to look unto Jesus and to consider Him who endured the cross as the Suffering Servant with joy. It seems the writers of Scripture kept Jesus as their vision and His example as their focus and believed His words that He has come to make the world new again. They overcame suffering and hardship by His example of suffering and hardship which looked like choosing relational joy. They maintained hope in a better world because they put weight in Jesus’ promise.
Neurologist Dr. Jim Wilder makes this wild statement in his book ‘The Other Half of Church’: “Joy helps us regulate our emotions and endure suffering. Jesus refused to relinquish joy in the midst of His suffering on the cross. When we are able to stay relationally connected to others and God, we experience joy while we suffer. Joy does not remove our pain, but it gives us the strength to endure. Remember that joy is relational, so “joy in suffering” means that God and our community are glad to be with us in our distress. They do not allow us to suffer alone. We are able to bear our suffering like Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. Contrary to what some preachers say in their sermons on Jesus’ ‘seven last words,’ He never lost touch of His Father’s face shining on Him as He was tortured and humiliated….He could see through the angry faces in the crowd to the kind and steady gaze of His Father. His joy sustained Him. The author of Hebrews exhorts us to handle our suffering the same way, ‘fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.’ Jesus’ face helps us persevere through the pain of life.”
The past several months I have been working my way out of the cynicism and pessimism that has crept into my life. Learning the art of “returning to joy” has been primary for me. It is helping me to rediscover the beauty of this world again, the wonder in each person I meet, and having a hope for a better future. Being able to see the joy in His eyes for me gives me strength to endure the hardships I face. Also learning to lean all the more relationally into community has been so primary for me as well. There are especially a few brothers who have just been there with me and when I forget who I am, they are often quick to remind me. This relational joy has also been so key. Jesus modeled victory through joy. I am finding this to be so true myself. Joy enables me to be my authentic self even when I am experiencing pain and suffering. Peace and hope truly are our portion, even in the most distressing of times, joy is an essential ingredient to walking in that.
The Gospel is not void of suffering and hardship, but it does give us a path forward: primarily relational joy in Jesus and one another. “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” (John 16:33 AMPC)
