Happiness!

Charles Colson (in "The Body", p. 124) noted that Marla Maples -- the "other woman" in the Ivana and Donald Trump breakup -- acknowledged her religious roots. She asserted she believed in the Bible, but went on to state, "but you can't always take [it] literally and be happy."

Can we take God's Word and Will literally and be happy? Or do we accept the portions of God's Word that we think will make US happy and reject what goes against OUR personal desires? Is personal happiness more the basis of our life choices than loving God and finding the lasting joy of pleasing Him?

What does the pursuit of happiness reveal about the CHARACTER of people? Some, in the pursuit of what makes THEM happy or brings them pleasure, leave much unhappiness for others in the wake of their life. If merely the pursuit of pleasure brought true happiness -- rather than following God's Will -- would we not see more happiness in this world? Is our life quest focused on personal happiness? Is that what our existence is all about? In contrast to this, it has been noted that "Happiness is not the end of life; character is." [H. W. Beecher]

Consider these questions. Would being at peace with God make us happy? ( Romans 5:1) Would access to grace make us happy? ( Romans 5:2) Would the possession of hope make us happy? ( Romans 5:2) How do these rate compared to other desires we might have? Are they more or less significant to us?

In that fifth chapter of Romans, Paul went on to state. . .
"(3) MORE THAN THAT, WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS, knowing that SUFFERING PRODUCES ENDURANCE, (4) and ENDURANCE PRODUCES CHARACTER, and CHARACTER PRODUCES HOPE. (5) and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." ( Romans 5:3-5 ESV)

Now wait a minute! Suffering doesn't sound like a very happy time. Perhaps we should consider true happiness to be less about continual pleasurable experiences and more about what brings real satisfaction to life, which in the end brings greater pleasure. The Greek word translated "CHARACTER" is "dokime" which W. E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words defines as "the process of proving; it is rendered 'experiment'." Strong's Lexicon defines the word as "(1) proving, trial. (2) approved, tried character. (3) a proof, a specimen of tried worth." All the varied experiences of life work in developing and proving the CHARACTER of our life; the true essence of our being. Can we be happy with tried and true CHARACTER that is godly in its essence? Making merely happiness the goal lends more toward selfish and spoiled living dotted with much unhappiness and dissatisfaction in between those "happy times".

Life is sort of a proving ground. CHARACTER is developed and the varying life experiences then reveal the true essence of our being. Just being happy doesn't necessarily make us better people, but becoming more of what God desires us to be can ultimately make us extremely happy. Rather than a goal, happiness is more a state of mind as the byproduct of righteous and God glorifying pursuits. It is the blessed or happy person who accepts the counsel of God rather than that of the world and will in the end be seen to have produced the better fruit in having lived. (note Psalm 1:1-6) Yes, I can be very happy with that! How about you?

Have a great day FINDING THE BLESSED CONTENTMENT OF PLEASING GOD!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Character