The Pursuit of Happiness!

The misguided pursuit of happiness.  

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

We find this in the Declaration of Independence penned mainly by Thomas Jefferson.

Tom had a secret that few know even today.  That happiness is a never ending pursuit.  Happiness is an illusion that as soon as someone captures it, it surely slips through the fingers only to be pursued again.

I am guilty of this never ending pursuit as well.  I thought it was in sex, alcohol, or money and each time I seemed to achieve the goal of what I thought would make me happy, happiness would disappear just as surely as it came.

One day I found that the pursuit of happiness was actually killing me.  Taking a toll on my health and my soul. This pursuit of happiness eventually drove me to my knees in a fit of hopelessness.  I cried out to God in a frantic attempt to  see if He was real.  Then He spoke to me. He met me at my rock bottom, at the end of myself.

 I have never looked back ever since (Phil 3:13-14).  Sure I have had my ups and downs.  My repentance walk looks like the slow stagger of a drunken man making his way down the road.  It may not look pretty, but he eventually gets there.  

I  know that God is the source of happiness (Rom 15:13).  Well lets change that word to Joy! God has given me a joy and a peace that surpasses all understanding (Php 4:7).  I have learned to be content when I abound and learned to be content in lack (Php 4:12).  He meets my needs (Php 4:19) and holds my hand in the bad times.

I have learned that the Lord doesn‘t always keep me from the fire, for He baptizes with fire (Mat 3:11).  But He also holds are hand and walks us through it.  I can take comfort in knowing that  my Savior cares about me that much.

This brings me peace.  This brings me joy.

I have stopped looking for happiness in all the wrong places.