Happiness isn't found in the latest fashions.
Happiness isn't found in relationships.
Happiness isn't found in careers, family members, or a car that runs consistently.
Happiness isn't dependent on whether I wake up when my alarm goes off.
Happiness isn't reserved for weddings, weekends, and pay raises.
Happiness doesn't happen at size 4, when I finally have clear skin, or when my hair looks good.
Happiness doesn't magically show up during worship songs or profound sermons.
You already know what I'm going to say. You already get that happiness - joy, real life - is only found when life is lived in total abandon to the Creator. You know it. I've known it - this fundamental truth, the foundation of the Christian life - for ages in our heads. But I rarely live it. It only sometimes travels from my brain down to my heart. Brief aha! moments occur when I let go and throw myself into His able arms, but, in reality, it's seemingly so much simpler to search for happiness in things I can touch, smell, and explain. But they don't work. Disappointment, discouragement, depression, confusion, pain - these are the end results. Not that the life of a believer won't be riddled with discouraging, disappointing, depressing, confusing, painful moments - far from it - but these moments, rather than pushing us to the brink of despair, offer us the opportunity to say, "Yes, life is hard, but God is good. Look at what He's done for me. I can praise Him. I can have joy - my happiness is dependent on Him, not on my circumstances."
God doesn't want us to not be happy. God doesn't want us to not experience pleasure. God's not sadistic. God placed that happiness-longing in our hearts for one reason only - to bring us to Him. The main goal of the Christian life is to be happy. People! We are supposed to be smiling! But true happiness and fulfillment only manifest themselves completely and permanently when they're found in the Creator of happiness. This is all part of God's grand plan to draw us to Himself. Find happiness in the sunset. Find happiness in hot coffee and friendships. Find happiness when you get the job. Find happiness when you don't. Experience happiness when a father dies. Find happiness when you don't understand. Find happiness in every situation, because as you find real happiness, you'll find yourself being drawn to Him in all circumstances.
He is the author of our happiness, the One who penned our emotions. That longing inside doesn't go away. We can medicate with chocolate and boyfriends and cell phones, but that's all it is - medication. But God loves us enough to let us medicate. He knows we'll come out empty and probably bruised. And while our initial response may be to blame God for the hurt, the truth is, we can be grateful for the pain. The happiness He offers becomes even more attractive when compared to the emptiness of human solutions.
Wow, God. What amazing love You have. Why You should care enough about me that You'd want me to be happy makes no sense. Why You are willing to let me run away, spit in Your face, say I can handle it on my own, yet still let the happiness-longing live and drive me to You is absolutely astounding. But You do. Should I fall on my face now? Should I cry, laugh, or just shut up? God, the only response is to run to You. You are the key to happiness. You satisfy. You more than satiate my desire. My human mind can't comprehend the fullness of who You are and the love, the peace, the contentment You offer. And that's all there is to it. You are happiness.
