The Promise

It’s confession time. How many self-help books do you have on your bookshelf? How many have you purchased KNOWING they would change everything, and then you never actually finished the book?

It’s okay - me too. The self-help book industry is so appealing because, don’t we all want more happiness, money, success, love, and beauty? With titles like these, who wouldn’t want to read these books:

“Think and Grow Rich”

“The Power of Positive Thinking”

“You Can Heal Your Life”

“Unlimited Power”

I mean, “Unlimited Power”? Yes, please! These book titles are so attractive because we live in a society that idolizes happiness and success. Less suffering, more growth. Less struggle, more enjoyment. I mean after all, God would want us to be happy, right? Now I’m not knocking these books; some can be super helpful. But sometimes I think we begin to believe that we are promised a certain level of happiness in life.

But here’s the hard truth:

God doesn’t actually promise us health, wealth, and happiness.

He’s not opposed to those things. I even think our joy brings Him joy! They’re just not His primary goal. God’s primary goal for His people is that the Spirit of God would take up residence within us, and that as we move about the world we would act as catalytic forces bringing heaven to earth.

God’s promise and goal is that when we pursue Him He will take up residence in us, He will make us more like Him, and He will change the world through us. And sure there probably will be some happiness along the way, but He doesn’t promise a title like those self-help books. His focus isn’t the money or success. He’s focused on holiness, and bringing glory to His name.

And He does promise that we will suffer. He does promise that when we bear the flag of Christ’s name we will be met with persecution.

Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

- John 15:20

We will be persecuted as Christ was. But if we align our main goal with His, if our focus is holiness instead of happiness, then the suffering is an opportunity to be shaped more and more into the image of Christ.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.

- Romans 8:17

We are co-heirs who get to share in His suffering and His glory. If you’ve been hooked on self-help books that might be hard to hear. Suffering? What about the money and power?

But the good news is this: His primary goal, holiness instead of happiness, will bring eternal joy that triumphs over any temporary happiness found in this world. When we surrender our idol of happiness and instead seek His promise of holiness, we embark on a journey of bringing heaven to earth and finding eternal joy with Jesus.

And I’d take that over a self-help book any day. Wouldn’t you?

Cristina Schmitter

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