December 9
Our Concept of Happiness
This is my happy way of life: obeying your commandments. - Psalm 119:56
Philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, "The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness." Someone else once said, "There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. And the other is getting it."
So for many people today who are searching for happiness, the cold hard truth is they will never quite find it. You look at all of these people in Hollywood - with all of the accomplishments, fame, and money - and so many of them live miserable and empty lives. They are searching for happiness in the wrong way. True happiness is always a byproduct of holiness. You get your life right with God and happiness will soon follow.
That is why the nonbeliever will never know true happiness. They will go after the devil's cheap counterfeits, but the counterfeits are shallow, because they possess no deep well from which to draw. The world's concept of happiness is dependent on good things happening. The Christian's concept of happiness depends on a good God.
Copyright (c) 2004 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright (c) 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.