Most people who meet me seem surprised I am a Christian. Perhaps it lies in the fact that I'm a scientist and professor. Perhaps it lies in the fact that I don't seem as excited. By contrast, most of the Christian world "makes a joyful noise" even if I find that noise boisterous, blasphemous, or belligerent. Even if the tone, timbre, beat, rhythm and rhyme of the music drives away the spirit of God, they still understand that as Christians they are better off one day. They understand it better than other religions. You can go watch their services, attend their concerts, learn about revivals and gawk in disbelief as they jump around, shout hallelujah and sing along in chorus. However, they are jubilant for a reason. No matter what, Christ makes life better. He makes it meaningful. He gives them hope for a better world even if things don't work out as they like in this one. I can't think of any better news than that, and it changed my perspective on life to realize this. Life really is good because of Christ.
Christians have been saved from death. Many people fear death. They fear meaning nothing. They fear a cessation to their hopes, their dreams, their plans, and their lives. Through the resurrection of Christ, death is no longer an end. Every man will rise. If nothing else brings you joy, this should. Your life matters. Your relationships matter. You will continue on, not just as an energetic cloud of light and energy without form or function, but as a person doing useful work with a purpose. What you do matters. Who you are matters. You will live forever and be able to continue to enjoy many if not all of the things you enjoyed here during your mortal probation.
Christians have been saved from sin. Since Christ hung for a moment, you are not required to hang for a moment of your life in all perpetuity. Through Christ's suffering in Gethsemane, sin no longer means that men must suffer for their mistakes. Every man gets a chance to start over with a clean slate. Far too many Christians take this as license to do whatever they like after they spout a verbal allegiance to Christ without acting like they mean it and appreciate it afterwards, but it really is a matter of grace. You can start over when you make mistakes with a clean slate, a clear conscience, and "I the Lord remember them no more." I hate it when people bring up the past, even when it's stupid and minor things like forgetting my sleeping bag for our trip to Bryce Canyon, but we are not responsible for the things other people do, and in some cases, Christ takes care of the stupid and sometimes rebellious things that we do.
No matter what, they know that things will get better. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but some day, everything will be better than it is now. True, there will still be things to suffer, things to overcome, and challenges that make you feel like you just can't manage, but some day, it will be a better world, not because of anything we do, but because of what Christ did. I never really understood why Jehovah's Witnesses gain proselytes until now. Although only 144,000 will be "exalted" the rest look forward to a better world than this one ever will be. If you knew that no matter what, things get better, would that be good news? Would you subscribe to that if your life is miserable, menial, and mediocre? Christianity promises us that, after we leave this life, we go to a better one, an upgrade, a replacement, beyond our wildest dreams, and for nothing other than the fact that Christ came. Even if you don't really want it, because you lived on this planet, the next life, the next world, will be better.
If no matter what, through Christ, you can look forward to a bright future, that is reason to rejoice. Your life has meaning. Your relationships with family, friends, and your Faith persist. You will overcome death. You will avoid having to spend any more time with the devil one day. This is, interestingly enough, a tenant of my own Faith. Joseph Smith taught that if we knew what the lowest kingdom of glory was like, we would kill ourselves to get there right now. Of course, that would be the end of our increase, but some people are so happy about the prospect of something so much happier they cannot conceive of it that they will do almost anything to end their suffering here. There will still be suffering, but one day that must end. There will still be happiness, and that will continue even after you cast off your mortal coil. Bad things end, and good things persist. Hallelujah!
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