Joy and Pleasure

Jesus said, "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." Luke 17:33

Whoever finds their life will lose it... are those things such as the material 'stuff' to elevate our worthiness. I label it as the "Pursuit of Pleasure" and that pursuit can feel good, incredibly good, sometimes phenomenally so. The thing about Pleasure is its temporary and will skip town under the cover of night. What was once new becomes old. What was once exciting becomes listless and soggy. It fades like smoke requiring trip after trip back to its well. The Pursuit of Pleasure is an all-consuming, never-ending proposition. It will exhaust the pursuer and ruin lives because seeking Pleasure is a selfish ambition. Pleasure is a withdrawal from this world for the sole purpose to elevate ourselves above others when we should be serving them instead.

Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it... this is Joy and Joy is different because Jesus is different. Jesus is the Great I Am. The Spotless Lamb of God. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Joy sticks around because Jesus will never forsake us. Jesus is the meat and potatoes of our life. To be first we have to be last. We are to surrender our selfish ambition, pick up our cross, and follow Him. Why do we call Him Lord and not obey? Jesus is called the Bread of Life, Living Water, the True Vine, the Way, Truth, and Life... for a reason.

All of this brings Joy. Being a servant of Jesus Christ is by default Joy.