What hope is there for the committed Christian? Isn’t there some sense in which we can look forward to greater blessings on this earth than those who are rebelling against God? Indeed we can. Intimacy with God is so glorious that everything else in this world becomes meaningless by comparison. Even the best that this world has to offer fades into the background as trivial details compared to knowing God and knowing that He is pleased with us. This is why we find Christians in very miserable looking circumstances walking about with strange grins on their faces. When our souls are flooded with God, we simply aren’t so concerned with what is happening to our bodies or our bank accounts. It’s not that we stop feeling the reality of our circumstances, but our view of those circumstances drastically changes.

Suppose I were to tell you that I fixed the flat tire on your car for you. Naturally, you would be pleased not to have to deal with that chore. But then suppose you got a call and found out that you just got a huge promotion at work. You’re still glad about the car, but you’re way more excited about the promotion. The fixed tire goes from being great to being a convenient detail. Now suppose I hadn’t fixed your tire and your car was still sitting lopsided in your driveway. You’re tired and you just don’t want to deal with it. Then you get the call about the promotion. What happens to your energy level? It suddenly spikes, your mood instantly soars and pretty soon you’re out there whistling happily as you get out your spare. The tire problem never went anywhere, but your perspective of it drastically changed. It went from feeling like a major trial to a simple little chore that you could quickly take care of. God has the same kind of effect on us. The closer we get to Him, the more ALL of our trials seem like minor inconveniences in the light of the glorious soul promotion we’re experiencing with Him. We get so focused on spiritual priorities that we just aren’t very affected when earthly details go wrong.

When we align with God’s priorities for us, when we agree that drawing closer to Him is the most important thing in life, then we find ourselves in the best possible situation. Every trial we go through ends up spiritually strengthening us and over time the suffering we experience on this earth becomes less and less important to us as our joy with the Lord increases exponentially. No one has it better than sold out Christians. We are the wealthiest souls on earth. We are the ones that everyone would envy if they could see what we truly have. But they can’t, for God keeps the joy of intimacy with Him hidden away in the secret rooms of our soul. Those around us only catch a glimpse now and then—a smile on our faces, a light in our eyes, or a strange aura of peace about us that makes them wonder what it is that is so different about us. And of course we can’t totally explain, for our spiritual treasures defy description. We can only advise them to do what we did: to pursue God with all that they are and ask Him to have His total way in their lives. Then perhaps one day they’ll be as indescribably happy as we are.