Relax.

It's easy for Christians to get too caught up in the problems in the world. Sin is an awful thing. There's murder, starvation, poverty, sickness, and far too many horrible things to list here. The Problem of Evil is a legitimate existential question, but so is the Problem of Good. A universe devoid of goodness is also devoid of God. We need to appreciate that we live in a universe that has both. We need to remember to enjoy life.

I once read a quote from actor Hugh Laurie where he said, "I don't believe in God, but I have this idea that if there were a God, or destiny of some kind looking down on us, that if he saw you taking anything for granted he'd take it away."

I think a lot of us act this way. I act this way. I'll get apprehensive when something good comes my way, anticipating the moment when the other shoe drops and things go straight to hell. I'm a serial pessimist, okay? I'm working on it.

But we rob ourselves of a gift when we do this. We miss the blessings that God's given us when we live in a perpetual state of guilt of having won the "birth lottery". We shouldn't. There's nothing wrong with being financially successful or splurging on ourselves now and then. It's okay to enjoy some degree of materialism in our lives.

Every now and then I'll encounter someone who feels the need to be a Debbie Downer.

"Oh, you guys went out for ice cream? There's so many in Africa who can't even afford to own a cow."

"You got a fifty cent raise? That's less than this woman will make in three months."

"It's too bad everyone is paying all this attention to *insert celebrity* when there's genocide going on right this moment."

Give me a break!

Yes, these things suck. They're horrific, heart-rending things. But what are we supposed to aspire to as human beings if we're not allowed to enjoy anything? We're supposed to be the light of the world. Christianity is and must be a beautiful and meaningful thing but we have to understand the meaning!  Even those who suffer are able to find joy and happiness in their circumstances. In many ways, it shows us that their strength in Christ is much greater than those living in prosperity. However, I'm not about to say that a prosperous life is inherently detrimental to one's spiritual life and I don't think Jesus would, either. It's said that it's better to give than to receive, not that giving is the only good thing.

We have to balance. I've made a personal goal to give a substantial amount of money (not disclosing the amount, it's not my intention to brag) toward a few causes. I also bought my brother a birthday present and a DVD for myself at Barnes and Noble today. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

We recognize the gifts God has blessed us with while actively searching for the potential blessings of sacrificing and denying ourselves. The key words being "actively searching".

-L. Travis Hoffman

10/27/2014