Sometimes it feels like there is so much hardship, heartache, and horror in this world, I just want to try and blind myself to it. Many of us try and avoid it at all costs and to numb ourselves to the pains around us. Often times, we might try to accomplish this escapism through shopping, vacationing, hobbies, mindless entertainment, and/or even work. We want to become, “comfortably numb“.

There may also be an unintentional attempt to reach a state of nirvana, but this too is misleading, for nirvana is not a place of paradise, but a state a nothingness. In other words, it means we no longer feel pain, because we no longer want.

Yet, this too is a chasing after the wind approach to dealing with the darkness in the world, for God never created us to be void of desire, but filled instead with His holy desires, not our selfish ones.

So what are we to do? It isn’t wrong for us to long for peace, happiness, joy, and a pain free life – after all this is imbedding in is. We were created to live with God, not apart from Him and this fallen world is an assault to our inner calling. We instinctively know this isn’t right – it’s broken and must be fixed.

And so does God, which is why He sent His only Son to die for our sins and give us eternal life through his resurrection and victory over death. This doesn’t make the sorrows of the world disappear, for He allows us to remain here to help others escape the impeding darkness by sharing the good news of Christ.

And while we’re here, He gives us some good times too – for all good things are from above. So, we need not feel guilty for the moments of bliss we encounter – but rather praise God all the more for those moments and shower Him with praise and thanksgiving. Also, knowing they aren’t permanent. For like Peter wanted to stay on the mount of transfiguration – our mountain top experiences aren’t meant to last either. We are to go back down into the valley – for their is work for us to do. To be salt and light and distributors of Christ’s hope and encouragement.

Hardships will always exist in a fallen world but as believers we are never without hope for God has overcome this world and gives us good things to enjoy and good works to accomplish and a great future to look forward to – where every tear will be wiped away once and for all.