If I Don't Laugh, I'll Cry by Molly StillmanSample

Made For So Much More When I sought earthly pleasure apart from God, my joy withered. I spent all my time looking for an alternate, pseudo-salvation in the things of this world, rather than the peace, freedom, salvation, and true joy found only in Jesus. And so God used a really weird, roundabout way to get me to leave what was comfortable, to bring me to my knees, to help me realize that all the things I’d been chasing . . . only he could give them to me. Pain is a much greater teacher than blessing. It took hitting rock bottom for me to discover that my identity is not in the pursuit of my own success or fame or glory. It is found in the power of God within me, bringing fame and glory to His name, using the gifts I’ve been entrusted with to serve others, as a faithful steward “of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). I had to realize that I could not find comfort in financial security, and that possessions and worldly prosperity will only leave a person feeling empty and hollow. Money itself is not evil, but the love and worship of money is (1 Timothy 6:10). Through sacrificial giving, I learned that money is just a tool, and if stewarded well, it can be powerful in building God’s kingdom rather than my own earthly domain. I’m not saying I don’t still fight an ongoing battle with idols. I do. We all do. What it amounts to is a constant self-evaluation—a personal inventory I take of where I am placing my hope, identity, and self-worth. Because if I’m not seeking Christ every single day, then I’m hopeless. There is absolutely nothing in this world that will bring me the lasting peace, hope, and freedom found in Jesus. So now, when an earthly idol disappoints me—as they continue to do—I have to remember I was created for something more. As theologian and writer C.S. Lewis famously put it in his book Mere Christianity : “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” Dear Lord, what an amazing thought that seeking You leads to true peace and joy, not only today but forever. Thank You for making me for so much more. Amen.