“below the surface of their lives [they] are guilt-ridden and insecure…[and] draw the assurance of their acceptance with God from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance or the relative infrequency of their conscious, willful disobedience.
Don’t get me wrong. I remember the mirage of happiness that was present when I was trapped in unbelief. But not all unbelievers have this experience. Some of them, I believe, are truly happy—whatever that means. So what do we do with this? It’s the problem of Psalm 73. Asaph is miserable and he looks across the street and sees his neighbor living it up. If part of the fruit of the Spirit is joy then why does it seem that unbelievers have far more mirth?
I think John Newton’s perspective here is correct:
It is a proof of the weakness and disorder of their minds that they are capable of being satisfied with such trifles. Thus if a lunatic conceives his cell to be a palace, that his chains are ornaments of gold, if he calls a wreath of his straw a crown, puts it on his head, and affects the language of majesty—we do not suppose the poor creature to be happy, because he tells us that he is so; but we rather consider his complacence in his situation, as an effect and proof of his malady. We pity him, and, if we were able, would gladly restore him to his senses, though we know a cure would immediately put an end to his pleasing delusions.
Part of the reason why it seems that unbelievers are often more joyful than Christians is that those apart from Christ are far too easily satisfied. Yes, this is also the lot (at times) of believers. But we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. When you’ve had a holiday at sea staying home and playing with mud pies is far less attractive. And so our “lack of joy” is really a longing for more of Christ. And the “exuberant joy” of unbelief is actually the delusion of a man making a castle out of a prison cell.
So don’t be fooled by temporary grins. Pursue lasting joy.
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