All worldviews have traces of truth—or they would never make it into circulation in the first place. Take for example my first worldview that “money will solve my problems and success will make me happy.” The problem? Money DID solve my problems and success DID make me happy. And then, after many years, it didn’t.

God has so ordered the world that, apart from Him, everything will eventually turn out meaningless. Both the physical and existential pain of this world is a burden too big to be satisfied by money and success. Even if like me you get EXACTLY what you want, at the end of 10, 20, 30, or even 40 years, you will not be happy and contentment will elude you. 

The thing I love about Christianity is that it rings more and more true as time goes by, while other worldviews start to crack. Fortunately, the Bible doesn’t describe a utopian world free of pain. That would make Christianity a wishful farce. Instead, the Bible describes the world exactly as we see it—a fallen world, but not without what Francis Schaeffer called “leftover beauty.” 

The Bible describes a world groaning in pain. It’s a world that needs a Redeemer, Sanctifier, and Sustainer. More importantly, the Bible describes how we can rise above futility, sin, and despair and find peace, hope, and victory by surrendering our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ. 

So how do we surrender? We simply acknowledge that all of our questions will not be answered, that God is okay with lingering doubts, and we chose to believe that Jesus really does love us. “God our Savior wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3–4). The irony of such a surrender is that it leads not to defeat but victory. 

Until every church disciples every man…

Pat