Many people know of C. S. Lewis due to his writings. The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe is a favorite that has been turned into a movie. Perhaps his best known book, and my favorite, is Mere Christianity This amazing book offers a classic defense of the truths of Christianity, and reading it is sure to strengthen anyone's faith.
If one just read his books and didn't know his history a person would be surprised to learn that for much of his life Lewis was an atheist. He was friends with J.R.R. Tolkien who continually challenged him to rethink his atheistic beliefs. While teaching at Oxford he did begin to consider if Christianity might indeed be true, and one night he decided that God must exist for many of the reasons he wrote about in Mere Christianity. Of his experience he wrote that he came to Christ "kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction looking for a chance to escape. . .I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed; perhaps, that night the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England."
One reason he struggled so much with his decision was that he believed that if he gave his life to Christ he would lose his freedom and have nothing in life to enjoy. He addressed this in another excellent book Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life. What he learned when he became a Christian is that his joy was not found in his career, his degrees, his finances, his relationships or anything else he knew in life. His joy was found in his relationship with Jesus Christ.
Lewis' fears are common to many people. They fear that if they give their lives to Christ that it will suck the joy out of their lives. What they fail to realize is that these things they depend upon for joy really don't bring them joy. They are substituting joy for happiness. These things may bring them happiness for a season, but that is only true when everything is going well. Finances can bring one happiness until the economy goes south for awhile, and then our finances can bring us grief, fear and worry. Relationships can provide happiness, but they can also bring some of the deepest hurts we know in our lives if they fail.
True joy is not based on things that can fail but is based upon a relationship that can never fail. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ because we know that the things we most seek in life - love, hope, peace and joy - are only found in a relationship with Him. It is in that relationship that we find a foundation for our lives that will stand when everything around us seems to fail. It is the anchor we need when the storms of life threaten to blow us away.
2020 has been a difficult year for many people. Turning over a page on the calendar isn't going to suddenly make everything better. There will be challenges to be faced in 2021 as well. If you want to overcome those challenges I encourage you to make sure Christ is at the center of your life. In Him, and Him alone, you will experience true joy in the midst of whatever challenges the new year might bring.
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