Intelligent Joy

Leo Tolstoy was one of the greatest novelists of all time. He was famous, wealthy and extraordinarily gifted. He had a loving family and had achieved what most people could only dream of.

Yet, in the middle of his life, Tolstoy fell into deep despair. Why?

He began to think seriously about life and death. He struggled with the thought that death would be the end of everything. What was the point of his achievements, his wealth, his fame, and even his family, if sooner or later everyone would die and everything he had accomplished would eventually be forgotten?

In his book A Confession, Tolstoy expressed the question that troubled him:

“Is there any meaning in my life that the inevitable death awaiting me does not destroy?”

The more he thought about the implications of this worldview, the more miserable he became. He described the advice people gave him:

“You cannot understand the meaning of life, so do not think about it, but live.”

In other words, stop worrying about life's ultimate meaning. Keep yourself busy. Enjoy yourself. Pursue your ambitions. Find something to distract you. But don't think too deeply about where it all ends.

Tolstoy was not satisfied with this advice. He wrote:

“One can only live while one is intoxicated with life; as soon as one is sober it is impossible not to see that it is all a mere fraud and a stupid fraud!”

What a devastating conclusion! The man who seemed to have everything discovered that none of it could satisfy his deepest longing for meaning and hope.

But was Tolstoy wrong to ask these questions? Should we simply avoid thinking about death and the ultimate meaning of life? Or should we have the courage to face these questions honestly?

There is certainly much to enjoy in this world. Family, friendship, beauty, work and countless everyday pleasures are genuine blessings. Even those who do not believe in God can appreciate them. But if we are nothing more than matter, and death is our final end, what lasting hope can these things offer us? Can anything we possess or achieve overcome the grave?

The Christian faith offers a radically different answer.

Christian joy and peace do not depend on thinking less about what we believe, but on thinking more about it. The Bible repeatedly encourages us to remember, reflect and consider the wonderful truths God has revealed.

Consider Isaiah 26:3:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

And in the midst of his sorrows, Jeremiah declared:

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope” (Lamentations 3:21).

What did he call to mind? God's steadfast love, his unfailing mercies and his great faithfulness. Remembering these truths renewed his hope, even though his circumstances remained painful.

There is an important difference here. The world often encourages us to escape unpleasant realities through pleasure, entertainment and distraction. But the Christian does not need to escape reality in order to rejoice. Our joy is grounded in what we know to be true, and it grows as we understand and believe God's promises.

Christian joy is not thoughtless happiness. It is intelligent joy.

Think about what God has done for us through Jesus Christ!

We are guilty sinners, deserving God's judgment. Yet God, in his great love, sent his Son to save us. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead. Through faith in him, we receive forgiveness and everlasting life. We who were enemies of God are reconciled to him. We who were strangers are welcomed into his family as his beloved children.

And think about our future! Death is not the end. Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. He will raise his people from the dead, and we shall be with him forever, in a world without sin, suffering, sorrow or death. As Peter declares, God has given us a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).

This hope is not wishful thinking. It rests on the person and work of Jesus Christ, who entered our world, died and rose again. His resurrection changes everything, including how we understand life, suffering and death.

Of course, Christians are not exempt from sadness, disappointment or anxiety. There are times when our joy grows dim and our faith feels weak. But when this happens, we should deliberately turn our minds again to the wonderful truths of the gospel. Remember who God is, what Christ has done, and what he has promised. Our circumstances may not immediately change, but remembering these truths can renew our hope and strengthen our hearts.

And if you do not believe in Christ, I invite you to reconsider your position. Do not dismiss the great questions of life, or drown them in the endless pursuit of money, pleasure, success and entertainment. Take them seriously. Read the Gospels. Consider the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ask yourself whether the material things you are living for can really satisfy your deepest needs or give you hope beyond the grave.

Above all, consider Christ himself. He came into the world to give us eternal life. He calls us to repent, turn from our sins and trust in him. He promises eternal life to all who believe in him.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Tolstoy's despair reminds us how empty life can appear when death has the final word. But the Christian gospel declares that death does not have the final word. Jesus Christ has conquered death!

We do not need to forget reality in order to be joyful. We need to remember the greatest reality of all: Jesus Christ died for sinners, he is risen, and he is coming again.

In him we find forgiveness, peace with God, a purpose for living, and a hope that even death cannot destroy.

That is intelligent joy!