What Is Real Happiness

Lately, I’ve been asking myself this question, “What makes me happy?” Is it my relationship with God?

Assurance there is enough money in the bank?

Knowing that my kids are serving Christ?

Date nights with my husband?

My ministry, my work?

I’ve been reading The Happiness Project written by Gretchen Rubin.  She talks about being on a bus, and asking herself “What do I want from life, anyway?” She responded, “I want to be happy.”  She calls her “first commandment” – Be Gretchen.  It is simply taking your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes and being ok with your limitations.

You can read an excerpt here.

It is time for me to Be Michelle.

I’m not saying I don’t like who I am or what my life is about. I do simply not want to just pursue the future, but be me in the midst of it.

I want to Be Michelle.

Do I have dreams and aspirations? Yes. We all should no matter how old we get. We should never stop dreaming.

Where I think we get tired is when we pursue the dream over being.

Do I want to go to Spain, speak Spanish, and eat paella? Absolutely.

Will I ever? Maybe.

Do I want to travel the world and see God’s wonderful creation? Yes.

Will I get to? I don’t know.

Do I wish my bank account was full and I didn’t have to worry about the month or the year ahead, sometimes? Of course.

Will I get to? Don’t know.

But, what happens if we stop pursuing and just start being?

What happens if we just start being who God has created us to be?

Can you Be ____________? (insert your name)

Think of your childhood, what did you enjoy? What made you laugh, smile, or get excited? What made you happy?

As Christians, we call this the goodness of God.

A.W. Tozer in The Knowledge of the Holy writes, “By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessedness and He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people”.

God wants us to be happy. He wants us to have joy. He desires for us to be who He created us to be.

But, joy and happiness are two different things.

WORLD’S DEFINITION

The words happiness and joy are used interchangeably, and we often view them as having the same meanings.

Happiness: is defined as a state of well-being and contentment based on good fortune.

Joy: is defined as a vivid emotion of great delight or happiness.

GOD’S DEFINITION

According to the Bible, if we seek to know God and discover his plan for our lives, we will find the happiness that has eluded us for so long. In other words, happiness does not come from pursuing it, but from pursuing Him, because “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” (Psalm 144:15 NKJV). God built us to turn to him and find our fulfillment, our contentment and our happiness in a relationship with Him.

“Happiness is dependent on outward circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, is internal and constant. As believers, we have an unlimited source of joy through Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t be as concerned about happiness which is dependent on outward circumstances. We should have joy in the Lord based on an internal constant – our relationship with Him.” – Larry Jones

Be the internal you, so you can be the external hands and feet of Christ with a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

Be _____________.