We all experience unhappiness to one degree or another. Our lives are filled with feeble attempts at rectifying our situation. If we believe that the world is devoid of spirit then our only solace is in the physical things of this world. However, acquiring material stuff to make us happy is nothing more than failed electro-shop therapy. If you are an atheist, you have no spiritual place to turn for relief and are forced to resort to the only things you say are real, the physical world. Your therapy becomes sex, shopping, and maybe a good cup of coffee. You can momentarily soothe your pain, but once your material pleasure session is over, the overwhelming sadness quickly returns. You passionately chase what you think will make you happy only to find that when you obtain it, it’s never up to the task. You continue to climb the peaks of pleasure, but every time you reach a summit all you get is a better view of the rapidly approaching arctic storm of unhappiness heading straight your way. As you take stock of your ability to weather the coming storm, you realize all you have on is a Margaritaville T-shirt, flip-flops, and a bottle of beer. You have a breathtaking view of the coming tempest but tragically little to protect you from its devastating power.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33)