Want the real thing instead of smoke and mirrors?
Joel Engle reminds us that real joy is found in Christ alone.
Hey guys,
It’s been a while since I have posted anything of philosophical significance. As I finished out this year of Christian music and transition into being a pastor of a new church plant, I have been looking back.It is not always a pleasant thing to look back at your past and see the mistakes and stupid things you have done or worthless attitudes that you possessed. One of the things that I look back on and have learned from tremendously is the emptiness of “success.”
For many years, even though I feel like I had faithfully shared the truth of Christ and the message of the gospel, I also wanted fame. I really wanted to be somebody and be respected and even admired. I thought that securing a recording contract and being a “big name” was the way to do it. Even, though deep in my heart I knew better, I still had the desire to be recognized.
I remember the first time I heard one of my songs on the radio. I had dreamed of the day that could happen. I remember watching the movie “That Thing You Do” and thinking how cool it would be to hear one of “my” songs on the radio.
As I got in my car from the airport, I heard my song on the radio. It really wasn’t all that I thought it would be. The joy and excitement that I thought I would feel was not there. This has happened many other times in my ministry but this particular time I was very aware of the emptiness.
Is it wrong to be successful? Is it wrong to want to achieve a high level of excellence? Not necessarily but we must understand that those accomplishments do not bring joy. I am telling you that I have been there and done it. There have been moments of satisfaction but still the insecurity remained. How long would I keep this level of success. How do I ride this wave for the longest amount of time? The success that I discovered brought a whole new level of worries and fears that I didn’t have before.No, joy doesn’t come from achievement. It doesn’t come from finding your niche either. What is amazing was that when I looked back even farther that some of the most joyous times in my life were in college. Why? Because in college I discovered who God was and began my love-relationship with Him in that time in my life.
I remembered the hours of sweet prayer and study in the Word of God. Yes, I remembered where the joy originally came from: God Himself.
Psalm 16:11 “You have made known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy and eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Joy is found in God’s presence. Satisfaction, pleasure, savoring the flavor of existence comes from being in the presence of the one who created us. Just as Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God right now, so does joy. Everything this world has to offer is just smoke and mirrors. No more magic shows for me. I want the real thing.
