The Way to Find Life

If you go to a doctor because you’re having unusual aches or pains or some other issue, the doctor may have to give you bad news initially. He or she may have to tell you there is a very serious problem and that you need surgery or some type of treatment. You don’t like to hear that, but it’s the prescribed course to help change your condition.

In the same way, God will tell us the truth about ourselves: We’re sinners, and we need a Savior. Once we accept that, we can go from sadness to happiness. We discover that the way to find life is by committing our lives to God.

This is what Jesus meant when He said, “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39 NKJV). We win by losing. The way up is down. The way to happiness is sadness.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 NKJV). The word blessed used here could be translated “happy.” Jesus was effectively saying, “Happy are the unhappy.” Or another way to put it, “Happy are the unhappy, because one day they will be happy.” How? By mourning over our sin. We see ourselves for who we are.

We have our dreams and aspirations, and that is all good. But here’s my advice to you, especially if you are young. Commit your life to God, and understand that His plan for you is better than your plan for yourself. He may say no to this and no to that. But what God will say yes to later is so much better. And as the years pass, you will look back on your life and give thanks to Him.