The Pursuit of Being Happy
I am by nature a “glass is half empty” kind of guy. In fact,
I am a “glass is half empty and it’s cracked at the bottom” kind of guy! I tend
to focus on the negative when I consider things. It’s probably the Six Trials
that I have endured throughout my life that that positions me to “wait for the
other shoe to drop”. Don’t get me wrong, I know God is sovereign and has good
in mind for me. I continue to weigh the goodness of God with the promise Jesus
made when He said, “In this world you will have trouble”.
That “trouble” has often robbed me of my happiness but never
my joy. You may be asking, what’s the difference? For me, joy is not an emotion;
it’s a purposeful act of faith. Happiness is more of an emotion than a
deliberate act. For years I have downplayed the importance of happiness because
I have been preaching joy to my congregation. In my immaturity I have been
unable to fully enjoy them both, joy and happiness.
I now find myself hungry for happiness, so where is it and
how can I get some? Happiness that comes through circumstances should be
cherished and valued. I can have continuous joy that is a biproduct of my
relationship with God and happiness that is a result of circumstances. The issue for me (and maybe you) is that I
need to be looking for happiness in everyday situations and everyday life. I’m
learning that its there; I just need to identify it.
Lesson for us all- Counting your blessings, being thankful
in all things and being grateful are all ways that we can experience true
happiness. I will see my glass as half full and on the rise.
Blessings to you and yours.
