Why Bother with this Christianity Stuff?
Why bother with Christianity? Or Catholicism? The things taught to us by the Church or are in Scripture? Why trouble ourselves? All the rules and regulations, the things you must do and can’t do. The things you have to give up, to sacrifice, to maybe go to Heaven…why bother?
It would appear that much of the world isn’t buying into Christianity. A quick internet search indicates that:
Roughly 31% of the world’s population is Christian, (2.3 of 7.3 billion people), meaning almost 70% is not
Islam comes in #2 at 23%.
In the United States, our numbers have been decreasing rapidly, especially upon entrance into the 21st century, where a recent Gallup poll found that church membership fell 20 percent in the past two decades. These numbers are pre-COVID. Further, 1/4 of American adults now say their faith is “none”…the ratio is 1/3 among those under 30. Although Christianity isn’t what it used to be in the US, it’s far worse in Europe and Canada, where many Churches are looked at more as museums.
We live in a post-Christian world. To be sure, secularism is dominating our society. While far fewer people are into their faith, many are hostile towards it. The question is “why”. What wasn’t working. What has changed?
Photo by taryn fry from Pexels
Although not new, there seems to be more of a hyper-focus on the things that will supposedly make us happy….none of them rooted in Christianity. I refer to them as the 4 Ps…prominence (including power), possessions (including wealth and money), pleasure, and people (using them, not authentic friendship). Many of us pursue these things on an endless cycle. I like the visual of the hamster on the wheel in a glass cage:
You can’t make the wheel go any faster
You’re not sure if anyone…
Sees you on the wheel
Is on the wheel with you
Will catch you if you fall off the wheel
You’re watching the world go by around you
You’re exhausted, deflated, and frustrated
You’re overwhelmed
Not only are we overwhelmed, but we’re not happy…not most of us. We’re chasing, chasing, chasing, looking for something, anything, to fill the God sized hole in the center of our chests.
So to revisit our initial question, “why bother with this Christianity stuff”? The answer is simple. Our Christian faith, our belief in Jesus, is the ONLY source of true and long-lasting happiness that any of us will ever experience.
Never wanting to violate my 600-word cap on these blogs, suffice to say that I don’t have the space here to lay it all out. That said, most of the world, including significantly increasing numbers of us in the United States, just doesn’t get it. As it says in Scripture, “Jesus is the way”. As it turns out, He’s the only way.
How do I know? I experienced it firsthand. I spent my early adult life, into my mid-40s, chasing the 4 Ps. I was on the hamster wheel…exhausted, deflated, and frustrated. Not only was I overwhelmed, but I most certainly wasn’t happy.
Then something happened. I found Jesus in my life. I came to understand and internalize His unconditional love and forgiveness, learning that as such:
The unimaginable is achievable
There can be Heaven here on earth
There is a specific path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment
The 4 Ps didn’t cut it for me and they won’t cut it for you. It’s Jesus and our Christian faith, which is the only way you’ll find the happiness (peace, joy, and fulfillment) that you’ve so desperately been seeking.
As always, please contact me at [email protected] with questions, comments, concerns, challenges or prayer requests.
God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!
Mark Joseph