Happiness is a strange thing, well, to some. Happiness, some say, is defined by how you feel, what others say, what you have and, some may say, by what you take or read. When were you at your happiest? What do you strive for to be happy?When you were born, you came into this world full of joy and happiness. You were at your peak - this peak may very well define for the rest of your life that something you strive for. From here on you learn love, pain, wrong and right, all these things now come into play. Through these life long lessons you come to an understanding of happiness at many times through your life, for some it’s daily.There are countless magazines telling you “how to be happy”, “things that make you feel good”, “happiness is found in (our products)”, “5 things to make you happy” and the list goes on and on. Are we so sad that we need other people to tell us how to be happy? We were born happy, really happy people. Filled with innocence, filled with joy, filled with love - because we didn’t know any better?
Adam and Eve were two very happy people. One day walking through the garden they find themselves talking with a devious snake that told them how to ‘be happy,’ have God-like understanding, simply by eating some fruit. This fruit they ate from was certainly not to be eaten! God himself told them, “you will surely die if you eat from that tree!”
These two people were not unhappy people, but, for some reason, they listened to the ungodly and believed that they needed to be better than what they were. Do you think there are similarities in what we read, talk, listen, take today? Is it possible that by growing up you’ve realised that you need to be better then what you are, your happy self. All of sudden most of us find ourselves running in circles - we think these promises said by others to help us be better, be happier are worth giving up what you already had to start with. Then you lose both. You lose the happiness that you were created with, you think your new found happiness is better, but it too goes away… leaving you empty inside. So we look to the next thing and the next thing until we find ourselves taking pills, drugs or doing things that we thought were so disgusting when we were younger.
With these new feelings inside we find ourselves justifying our actions… actions that we said we would never do. Somehow they feel so right for that very short amount of time. We won’t turn away from these impurities because they have grabbed what is left of our hearts and we find temporary comfort in it. What do we do!? How do we fix it!? Getting pulled from side to side sucks. One part of you is saying, “Yes more,” the other “I want out.” It’s a sad thing, so sad you find yourself crying once, twice, maybe everyday.
Christians are the worst for it. Those who are brought up with good solid morals, brought up with happiness and joy in there lives let it go, sadly when they let it go, guilt comes upon them more harshly than those who don’t believe. “I know the story, I know what Jesus did, I know, I know, I know. But I can’t help it.” Famous words.
Are you so blind? Do you not see where happiness comes from! Do you not see where it all starts? I guess some of us choose to shove it to the side in disbelief, but I tell you now! Happiness comes from Love, Unconditional Love. This is a love that God founded, a love that God shows through Jesus’ death and resurrection. You think it’s all about eternal life? It’s way more than that, way more! Unconditional love brings happiness, but you won’t find it here, not now. The only way to experience unconditional love, that is once you have chosen to shove it off, and reject, disobey God is to come back to Him! Simply asking Him to forgive you of your sins isn’t enough because you will do it again, feel it! Show it through your actions, prove to God your needing His love, you want His love. Through this… Happiness is found. Happiness is achieved.
