Finding Fulfillment in Tough Times
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. ”
Both my grandmother and mother claimed that their generation was a blessing, and they pitied the generations to come. My grandmother and grandfather began their married life during the Great Depression. My mother raised her sons amid the drawn-out Vietnam War and the Cold War threat. Yet they worried about our daughter’s future, acknowledging the huge advancements in medical science that have lengthened and vastly improved people’s quality of life. Now I am at the stage where I am deeply concerned for the welfare of my grandsons in our present society.
Several articles and books argue that technology and social media have made our society more isolated. In Mona Lazar’s article “The Heartbreaking Reason Americans Won’t Work Anymore,” she lays out how the road to success has become narrower and more complex. In the past, Lazar notes, you worked hard and “…society repays you with sustenance and safety…you have insurance if you get sick, and there’s a pension waiting when you get old.” You didn’t need to be rich to be valued. Lazar continues, “Now every podcast bro with a loud opinion and a mic is talking about Lamborghinis.” If you are not part of the 1%, your life has less meaning, and your life’s safety net feels like it is made with a thin thread.
Lazar sums up our present society by stating, “Work used to be a path to a good life, not a treadmill to nowhere.” “According to the ‘Economic Policy Institute,’ productivity has increased by 59.7% since 1979, but hourly compensation has only grown 15.8%.” While workers are working significantly more, the profits and quality of life are not trickling down. With the expansion of corporate America, we are further removed from the leadership, who see most of their employees only on a spreadsheet. I would argue that most corporate elites are good people, but who, out of necessity, have lost access to the people they rely on and to whom they rely. Employees who try harder are not recognized because their efforts do not trickle up beyond one supervisor.
Now, add the disintegration of religion in contemporary culture. Even 40 or 50 years ago, religious life was stronger, and people found their meaning and value beyond their work life. Even amid economic challenges and job struggles, people within a faith tradition knew their value was found in a loving God. In a work- and consumer-valued society with fewer opportunities, life becomes more untenable, and a sense of hopelessness ensues. Inviting people into a faith tradition is vital in our present world. God and a supportive community renew hope and diminish fear of a meaningless future. Pray for our society, its values, and what it defines as success. I will choose to remain optimistic even when there is evidence to the contrary, because God continues to care and act.
