Some perceive Christianity as an undue burden that robs people of life’s pleasures. That is, it locks people into a set of rules that inhibit the enjoyment of life on this earth.
However, such an understanding of Christianity could not be farther from the truth.
It is certainly true that Jesus calls his followers to deny themselves and take up their cross (Matt 16:24–25). Followers of Christ are to die to themselves—their passions, their self-centered interests and ambitions, etc.
Yet such self-denial does not imply the absence of all enjoyment. On the contrary, true self-denial—flowing from repentance and belief in Jesus—unlocks joys far deeper and more enduring than the fleeting pleasures the world offers us.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer captures this reality well. He explains, “To go one’s way under the sign of the cross is not misery and desperation, but peace and refreshment for the soul, it is the highest joy. Then we do not walk under our self-made laws and burdens, but under the yoke of him who knows us and who walks under the yoke with us. Under his yoke we are certain of his nearness and communion. It is he whom the disciple finds as he lifts up his cross.”
Bonhoeffer here makes (at least) two important points. First, he notes that the self-denial which Jesus demands of his followers does not amount to a life of ascetic misery, but rather one of deep and abiding joy. For although Jesus calls us to forsake sinful pleasures, he offers in return something far greater—his presence, peace and rest. In Matthew 11:28–30, Jesus declares, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” There is thus something to gain when we repent and turn to Christ.
Second, Bonhoeffer explains why the act of taking up one’s cross leads to peace, refreshment and abiding joy. According to him, the act of bearing one’s cross is our highest joy because when we deny ourselves and pick our cross, we find that Jesus himself meets us underneath it. That is, those who bear their cross gain true communion and fellowship with the Lord, for he remains present with them as they go. Thus, the very act of self-denial is the means by which we gain life’s greatest treasure—the Lord himself.
Such is the paradox of Christianity. Though it demands repentance, it promises great reward—not just in the future, but here in the present through the indwelling of his Spirit (Eph 1:13–14). Thus, to bear our cross is our highest joy.
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Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
