Pursuing True Happiness

According to our Declaration of Independence we have the right to pursue happiness, but at what cost? What if we have misunderstood the foundation of the word “happiness?” Are we pursuing “self-centered pleasure” and “self gratification?” Do we require others around us to supply our happiness? Do we necessitate entertainment to amuse us?  

I think it comes down to the definition of happiness. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines happiness as a state of well-being and contentment. Yet most people think happiness is actually when they feel like laughing or enjoy pleasure. They don’t equal contentment with happiness. Nonetheless, how many are even content?  

Biblically the definition according to Holman’s would be for the word blessed sometimes translated happy or fortunate. “The special characteristic of New Testament uses of “bless” and related words is close relationship to the religious joy people experience from being certain of salvation and thus of membership in the kingdom of God.”  

Did you catch that? The real word is “joy.” How do you define joy and pursue it? Joy is a state of happiness that comes from knowing, worshipping, and serving Christ and His body. Holman’s Dictionary says, “Joy is the fruit of a right relation with God. It is not something people can create by their own efforts. The Bible distinguishes joy from pleasure. The Greek word for pleasure is the word from which we get our word hedonism, the philosophy of self-centered pleasure-seeking.”  

In 2 Timothy we have Paul’s warning, “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” This is hedonism in its finest form, a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God.  You cannot love both and you are not to keep company with those who choose the pleasure principled lifestyle.  

Solomon found that seeking after pleasure is futility (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11). It cannot bring true joy, because the only thing in life truly worthwhile is serving God (Ecclesiastes 12:13 , 14). One problem with the hedonistic lifestyle is that it enslaves you and addicts you. Pleasure and sin become your masters, instead of God. You cannot serve two masters. Choose one or the other. Paul reminds us in Titus, “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.”  

Are you dead or alive? According to 1 Timothy 5:6, you are dead if you give yourself to wanton pleasures, even though you may seem to be alive. Is God your cosmic killjoy or the One in whom you rejoice? How do you view Him deep down when you consider giving up your self pleasures and entertainment? God rejoices in His creation (that is you and me) and wants us to be full of gladness (Isaiah 65:18), but that is according to His standards which bring true joy.  

Can joy be found in trials? Look what the writer of Hebrews teaches us about Jesus our example of joy, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  

The disciples of Jesus were continuously filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 13:52 , 2 Corinthians 7:4. How could this be true when many of them were being persecuted in horrible ways? They had every “earthly” reason to be unhappy, but chose to look forward to the reward of being in the presence of God.  

Medical research continues to prove that people who are thankful, hopeful, and forgiving tend to have more happiness and fewer strokes. These characteristics are directly proportionate to our relationship with God. A relationship with the Lord requires the same elements it takes to build a relationship with somebody you hope to marry. Time, dedication to knowing them and what pleases them, service, and fellowship.  

It boils down to this, unhappiness is really a choice. It is a choice not to abide in Christ, walk in the Light, and trust in His Word. It is a choice to allow our mind to be fixed on depression, self, or anger, instead of keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and serving His purpose with our life. In Philippians 2 we learn to do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves. Again Christ is our example as He existed in the form of God, emptied Himself and took on the form of a bondservant. If anyone ever had a right to regard Himself, it was God, yet He chose to serve us!!!  

Don’t get me wrong, we all have moments of deep pain and grief if someone we love gets sick or dies. If our house is burned down and we don’t know where we will go. If we learn our spouse is divorcing us. If we learn our children have chosen the wrong path. But after a time of grieving and prayer, where do we place our trust and hope?  

We rejoice in the Lord always! We bear this fruit of the Spirit, joy, because we yield ourselves to God! When we fall into sin, we repent, we seek God to restore to us the joy of His salvation and renew a willing spirit in us.  Jesus commanded us to rejoice even in persecution for our reward is in Heaven. It is the attitude of setting our mind on things above not the things of the earth. It is choosing to die to self, and living to Christ! This is joy inexpressible and full of glory. This is pursuing true happiness.

By Julianne Bell
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