Why I’m Grateful To Live in 2024

Not sure if you’ve noticed, but America has been through some big feelings this week. Don’t worry, this post is not about anything remotely political. It’s more of a reminder of some things that are more important than politics. 

Because honestly, I’m a little tired of hearing everyone (myself included, sometimes) complain about “the crazy times we’re living in.” Regardless of how you feel about the election results, you’ve probably echoed that sentiment at some point this week (even if you’re not an American and it has to do with something else.) 

Because it’s too easy to see everything that’s wrong with the world and forget about all the things that are right. 

So today I want to remind us of a few things that are good about living in 2024 specifically, and a few things that are good eternally. 

I actually came up with this idea a few months ago when I randomly thought, “I love living in 2024.” 

I was thinking about something I’d just seen in a reel about how dopamine works, and I realized that all the information I can find about basic neuroscience (or any other topic) just from existing on the internet would probably have only been accessible with a college degree or a whole library of books just a few decades ago. 

(You are probably saying “but what about all the misinformation on the internet?” and you’re going to have a lot more “but what about…”s before I’m done so just hang on to them.)

Because since then, I’ve thought of so many more examples. 

As dramatic as this election cycle has been, it wasn’t all that long ago that a lot of us couldn’t have voted at all. It wasn’t much longer ago that the very idea of regular citizens having any voice in the direction of the government was unheard of. 

We spend so much time arguing about race and gender issues in our country, but slavery is unthinkable in most of the world today, and women have freedom and agency over their lives in a way that very few women in history have experienced. 

If that doesn’t amaze you, just put yourself in the shoes of a 19th century activist fighting so hard for those basic human rights, wondering if you’ll ever see any fruit from your labor. 

And what about technology? It has its hiccups, but have we forgotten how amazing it is? 

Just over 500 years ago Europe didn’t even know America existed. Now we can talk to each other as easily as our next door neighbors.

Printed books didn’t exist till 500 years ago either; personal printers less than 50 years ago. 

But yesterday I wanted to throw my printer through the wall because it wouldn’t work and I forgot that it’s not a basic human right to print a sheet of paper with whatever I want, whenever I want. 

I could go on - I’m sitting in a recliner with my computer on my lap, in a house with heating and air conditioning and refrigeration and hot and cold running water. When I hit publish, this post will be accessible to anyone in the world with an internet connection. Tomorrow I’ll wake up with the freedom to spend my day, for the most part, however I want. 

“But what about all the injustice that still exists? What about all the terrible suffering still happening in the world? What about all the terrible side effects of social media?” 

Well okay, if we took all the good things I just listed and weighed them on a scale with all their negative counterparts, you’d have a point. 

But I haven’t begun to talk about good things yet. 

The Bible is accessible in more languages than ever. Countries where Christianity was once illegal have seen explosive church growth. 

Even here in America the kingdom of God is flourishing; it just looks a little different. Even as secular ideologies gain a foothold in one area, Christ gains another area. 

You can listen to only Christian music all day long without ever feeling like you’re missing a thing. Even Christian movies are…less bad than they used to be. 

I’ve seen posts from people who preach at youth gatherings talking about the revival and passion they’re seeing among young people. 

God’s kingdom just keeps marching on. 

When you zoom out like this, it can look like the world is getting better and better. Whether or not it actually is probably depends on your view of end times (Mine is…fuzzy. End times theology is one area of the Bible I haven’t studied deeply.) 

But I don’t need to answer that question to make my point, because here’s the real truth: God is still good no matter what the world is like. If you take all the evil in the world at any time in history and put it next to the light of God’s goodness, it doesn’t even cast a shadow. 

I’m not saying it’s wrong to be sorrowful over sin and injustice in the world, but it’s wrong to let that sorrow steal your joy in the goodness of the God who is so much greater. 

Even if the worst happens, God is still good. Whatever time you live in is a good time to be alive because this is where he put you. We can rejoice in whatever times we’re in because it’s the day the Lord has made.

(if you’ve made it this far…this is one of those posts where it’s Saturday morning and I need to hit publish even though I’m not entirely sure I’ve made the point I want to make. Feel free to continue the discussion in the comments 🙂)