Tag Archive | happiness

Follow Your Heart?

Aug26

This is a popular saying in our world today. Just about every form of public media promotes giving our hearts full reign in making our decisions. I can see where in a world that champions self-autonomy following our hearts makes sense. After all, aren’t we the best judge of what it takes to make us happy? And if we don’t make choices that will ensure our happiness, then who will?

Today’s counsel in Society tells us to be true to ourselves in order to become our best selves. Even if it means hurting those we love. We are persuaded that the kindest thing we can do for ourselves is to shut out any contrary ideas from others. Putting self first is the surest way to happiness! Or is it?

Eventually, this philosophy will begin to break down. We can’t suppose that serving self to the detriment of others is going to always work out for us. I mean people, like our families, do have their limits. The longer we keep our distance or shut them out, hope for restoration diminishes. We may continue to interact with them, but it ‘s usually only on a surface level. Is that the level of happiness we should be seeking?

Now, we all know that a relationship will not thrive without communication. There must be a give and take climate in any thriving relationship. There must be forgiveness of the grievances we have with one another. We must consider others needs and interests as much as our own.

There is a guide book that contains all we need to know to secure our happiness. One that will counsel us on how to achieve genuine and lasting happiness. And it reveals the truth about following our hearts. It also reveals the true workings of a happy heart.

So, if we shouldn’t follow our hearts, whose heart should we follow? Consider the fact that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, God gives us a new heart. A heart that can know true and genuine happiness. A heart that we can, in full confidence, follow and find true happiness.

Give your heart to God, then follow His heart!

Easter: Where we find our Anchor…

Apr9

I watch and I see.

I watch those who have embraced the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection. I watch them in all sorts of scenarios. In the happy times they seem to go beyond happiness to know joy. That’s important you know, because happiness comes and goes, but joy is constant. For it is in the hard times that knowing joy provides them with the anchor to endure. Going through life with this anchor is everything good and right.

I watch and I see.

I watch those who have rejected the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection. I watch them in all sorts of scenarios. In the happy times they seem to have a diminished sense of true happiness. That is due to the fact that not knowing Jesus, they lack joy. So when happy times are fleeting and hard times fall upon them they don’t have the lifesaving resource that joy provides. They are left without an anchor. Going through life without this anchor is a tragedy.

The Quest for Happiness

Apr22
Our Happiness Checklist

Ask anyone these days about what they want for themselves. The most likely response is that they want to be ‘happy.’ I wonder what they mean by that exactly? A constant state of blissful happiness? Of course not. Because we all know that something has gone terribly wrong with the world we live in. Therefore, a constant state of blissful happiness isn’t realistic. (Has it ever been?)

Yet, even though it is an unrealistic focus, (and from whom can we assume that thought originated) we persist in doggedly pursuing such a quest. Therefore, in light of our lack of achievability of this goal, maybe we had better examine where the course we are on will lead.

If our dream is to be happy, how do we feel when unhappiness invades our dream? Or how do we feel when happiness just appears now and then but not overall? Or what do we do when we realize we are unhappy? Do we quit the course that is resulting in our misery and choose another course all together? Many people do that you know. (That’s the end result of such a fiery dart.)

If happiness is the paramount goal in life, then we will find ourselves going to any extreme to achieve it. Even if we have to make those close to us unhappy. Now does that make any sense? How can we be truly happy if our choices have created such unhappiness in those we are close to? (The fiery dart, of course, is: It was the only alternative. The only choice that would ensure our happiness)

Therefore, before we set upon THIS quest for happiness, let’s figure out just what genuine happiness is. Let’s examine what makes us happy and then ask ourselves this question: “After I have gained all that I wanted that could make me happy, what will happen to those achievements after I’m gone from this earth?” An important question to ponder, right!

The Bible states this caution relating to this type of quest for happiness.

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Mark 8:36

So before we go searching in all the wrong places, let’s check a source that will put us on the right path: In Psalm 144 we read where King David prays to God for blessings which would make him and his people happy. He wraps up his prayer requests with verse 15. Here he acknowledges that yes these blessings would bring happiness. Nonetheless, authentic happiness (the true and lasting kind) would come from the One who bestowed these blessings.

I should remind us that this kind of happiness (also referred to as joy) will remain no matter if the blessings do not.