The other day, a longtime member of our church family passed along a handful of articles written by our founding pastor. Although written 22 years ago, they speak to the truth of human nature and God’s plan for our lives.

I am so very blessed that I was able to learn from Pr. Ray as an associate pastor fresh out of seminary. I deeply value Pastor Ray’s words of wisdom and I wish to share them with you today.

How Can Life Become Good?

By Pastor Ray Christenson
June 2002

The world is very busy place. A lot of things are happening-more things than any of us could ever hope to take advantage of. Bells and whistles scream out at us. Visually we are stimulated to the point where our heads must spin in order to take in even a fraction of all that is offered.

If the world is such a busy place with all kinds of opportunities and options, how come so many people are bewildered and bored and claim to have no meaning in their life? How come there are so many folks who are pedaling as fast as they can but getting nowhere? How do you get off the bike in order to smell the roses? How do you focus in on that which is significant and meaningful?

As a pastor I’ve seen more than my share of people who, on the surface, have everything you’d ever want– houses, boats, cars, vacations, stocks and bonds, looks and clothes– but inside are hollow and empty. They’ve seen and done a lot.

They’ve climbed more corporate ladders than even they can remember. But, at those rare times when they sit down and evaluate their life, they’re faced with the fact that they’ve produced a lot of heat but very little light. They’ve touched so many things in life but never really bought in on any of it. Like the wandering visitor in the Fashion Show Mall or Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, they spent the time but have very little to show for it.

Yet how do you live a life that is rewarding? How can you live each day in a way that brings a true sense of satisfaction and joy? The answer is really not as far away as you might imagine.

It begins by understanding that the world is not a place where joy and satisfaction are a God-given right. Satisfaction and joy are not things that will one day just magically drop in your laps. Those who have real joy sought diligently to find it. They also recognized that there is such a thing as “cheap joy”–joy so destructive and harmful to their well–being that it must be avoided like poison.

But those with real joy also came to the realization that a life of meaning and satisfaction is not a life that is focused on them and their accomplishments, but on others and what they can do to make the world a better place. History books are filled with potentates and kings who thought that the world was created so that they could amass more and more of more and more. The. world remembers them, but not kindly. There are no holidays named after greedy kings or arrogant business people. On the other hand, those whom the world honors and respects are the men and women and youth who give of themselves in the cause of helping others.

How does life become good? By doing good! How can we live a life of satisfaction and joy? By making it our goal to bring hope and joy to others.

The one who is rich, is not the one with the most money. Instead it’s–the one who understands that their life is a ministry. It’s the one who understands that everything they have is a gift from God to be used to make the world a better place.

The Joy Continues…