DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 21ST
“Shared happiness”
The 2007 film Into the Wild tells the true story of Chris McCandless. Upon graduating from college in the early 1990s, McCandless had become disillusioned with his conventional life. Without saying a word to his family, he sold all his belongings, disappeared into the back country of the western United States, and eventually ventured deep into the Alaskan wilderness—alone.
McCandless underestimated the rigors of the Alaskan wilderness and was found dead months later. Before his tragic death, he appeared to have a change of heart regarding his decision to live alone. These were his final words scrawled in his journal: “Happiness only real when shared.”
Being a loner is not what it’s cracked up to be. It was one of the first experiences God spotted as unhealthy— “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’” (Genesis 2:18).
God wired us with a dual need for companionship with Himself and with other human beings. Sustaining healthy relationships with family and friends is a central part of being created in the image of a Triune God who enjoys a level of togetherness that’s beyond our comprehension. We can’t escape how our Creator made us. The truth is, there can be no real joy in life outside of relationships.
The early church had this down. The book of Acts states, “They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity” (Acts 2:46).
God meant for us to share life with others. As Paul wrote, relationships were a source of great joy to him (2 Timothy 1:4). The only thing worse than dying alone is living alone. Share your life with others. —Jeff Olson, Our Daily Journey
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