Not That Miserable
James Choung tells of a conversation he recently had with a friend that came around to the topic of spirituality and faith and as they began to discuss that topic, Choung discovered that his friend had attended church at one time. When he discovered this, he asked his friend why he had left the church. This is what the friend said.
"He started to rattle off a list: 'I'm happy. I love what I do. I'm enjoying my life. What else do I need?' His church had explained that life without Jesus is miserable and glum, and life with Jesus is joyful and peaceful. It seemed a bit of an oversimplification to me, but I kept on listening."
"As a result, he said, he gave Jesus a try. But he didn't find himself feeling that much more fulfilled or even happy. He actually felt worse: he felt like a fraud. And when he left the church, he wasn't particularly miserable at all. So he decided he didn't need Christianity; he was happy enough as he was. Then he shrugged his shoulders."
How would you respond to Choung's friend? What would you say?