Happiness! Of course, God wants me to be happy. Why would God not want me to be happy? This is the mentality of many people.
As Americans, we have made happiness an idol. We make it our ultimate aim. We will do what we need to do to be happy. It is even in our Declaration of Independence. All men (and women) are created equal and are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
But let’s talk about happiness for a moment. What is happiness? Happiness is an emotion. The truth about emotions is they come and go. One moment I am happy, and another moment I am sad. Emotions can be suppressed, but they cannot be controlled. The pursuit of happiness is sort of like the pursuit of money. You can achieve it for a time. But one day it will be gone. Happiness is temporary. It’s based on our circumstances.
The book of Ecclesiastes tells us there is:
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:4 (ESV)
Just as there is a time for happiness, there is also a time for sorrow. To always be happy is to live ignorant of reality. There is much about this world that does not make God happy. Sometimes we NEED to be grieved over what is going on so that we do something about it. Our grief is motivation for mission.
The irony is that the pursuit of happiness can lead us to great sorrow. Happiness becomes like a drug. People will do whatever they can to make them feel good no matter the cost to themselves and the people around them. They might turn to drugs or alcohol. They might leave their spouse. They might binge eat. But our determined pursuit of happiness in the short term leads to great unhappiness in the end. We end up hurting ourselves and the people around us.
The word discipleship is derived from the word discipline. Jesus calls us to be disciples and make disciples. The idea of discipline seems counter-intuitive to happiness. If I discipline myself to train for a marathon, the running regimen is not always going to make me happy. But I do it for a much greater reward. I do it to cross the finish line. John Maxwell is quoted as saying: “You can pay now and play later, or you can play now and pay later.” Just know the cost is always going to be much greater later.
God wants to give you something greater than happiness. He wants to give you joy. Sometimes that means sacrificing short-term happiness. We discipline ourselves with our finances. We discipline ourselves with our time. We discipline ourselves with our relationships. It may not feel good at the moment or make us happy. But there is a long-term joy that makes it all worth it.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we make happiness an idol?
- How does grief help us?
- What temporary happiness is God calling you to set aside for a greater joy?
- Share your comments.
wisdom says
I have learned something everyday from this series. It has made me rethink so many of my values. Thank you
Katie says
Thank you for this message. My mom says this to me all the time. I just want you to be happy. If i am sad or struggling with things of life she says it. She misses out on the reality of life. Denies it by this constant statement and has taught me by it too. I start to pursue it rather than Jesus in the midst of the struggles. Rather than joy. Now i have questions to ask her when she says it to me, rather than getting frustrated with her. She needs to challenge her core beliefs that are not scriptural. I am facing the deep challenge and struggle of childhood abuse and she wants me to just get over it and move on. “Be happy!” Just does not cut it and really shuts down our relationship.
LaNita says
Thanks for seeking God and sharing the TRUTH, from the Word. It is so awesome!