July 29, 2021This world is obsessed with the pursuit of happiness. It is in the very core of every campaign, every ad on TV, every billboard you find on every major highway, and even on every publication and magazine you can get your hands on. The message is loud and clear. Think about it…
If you buy this brand, it will bring you happiness.
If you buy this car, it will bring you happiness.
If you move here, it will bring you happiness.
If you get married, it will bring you happiness.
If you get divorced, it will bring you happiness.
If you eat at this restaurant, it will bring you happiness.
If you constantly make happiness your target and temporary bliss your end goal, you will always come up short. In this world, you might find happiness in one shape or form, but it is a never-ending quest and whether we admit it or not, we will never be truly satisfied.
Happiness is very self-centered which is completely opposite to the example set by Jesus.
Jesus spent His time on Earth dedicated to doing the will of His Heavenly Father and spreading the Good News to everyone. His life was never fixated on happiness; it was centered on holiness. And that is what he desires from all of us: HOLINESS.
Holiness in the Bible means to be set apart from all that is worldly and sinful. To be separated from those whose pursuits are of worldly happiness, and to be one with all that is of God which is eternal and divine.
In 1 Peter 1:16, Peter shared what was written in the holy scriptures about what God desires for us. He wants us to be holy, because He is holy.”
Happiness is not mentioned because that’s not what we were created to pursue.
Our lives might have been a never-ending roller coaster of emotions and feelings. When we were in the dark, we listened to the world that says, “Do what makes YOU happy.” Maybe it works out for a moment, but the happiness we experience is not destined to last, and we will soon find ourselves looking for the next best thing that makes us happy.
If we continue to pursue happiness instead of pursuing the holiness that Jesus wants us to pursue, it can lead us down a dark and dangerous path of depression and spiritual emptiness.
We might see others and think, “Man, that guy is always happy!”, or “She is always smiling without a care in the world.” But the truth is they are not always filled with happiness. They feel sad at times. They feel hopeless. They feel scared. They feel defeated.
But we need to remember that in Psalm 30:5 it says, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
It’s not happiness that our soul yearns for. That is just too temporary for us!! Our joy is in the Lord and Him alone.
Because of that, no matter what we face, we face it with courage, strength, and determination to live out my purpose and to pursue Jesus. And we shall face it with insurmountable JOY that transcends all happiness.
Whatever we are going through….
However our lives looks right now….
Even if we think we’ve found the next thing that will make us happy…
Don’t pursue happiness. That’s too temporary and conditional.
Pursue holiness. Pursue Jesus. Abide in Him and in His Word. Be renewed and be filled with the joy of the Lord and live life in abundance of with His grace, enduring peace, and everlasting love!
