So many times I've heard people say, "I just want x to be happy!"
As if happiness is the most important thing in life. It's a load of rubbish. It's a farce. 'Happiness', as it's understood today, doesn't exist. Possibly the most-used French word for 'happy' is content. Although it has slightly different connotations, the English word contentedness is much more realistic.
We can be 'content' with what we have: with our material possessions, our job, our family, and so on. (And perhaps, instead of the usual, "I'm fine," this is a more realistic answer to the question of, "How are you?")
But happiness? Nowadays it seems to relate to an extreme sense of satisfaction. Marketing strategies use this as much as possible: almost every product out there is the best ever and will do just what you want it to. We know that money can't buy happiness, but the driving ideology is that what you buy with money can make you happy. But it's a lie.
More than material things, our mental state is incredibly important. Our outlook on life, how we feel about the world around us. The pressures and stresses of life can 'get us down'. Over the last few years, I've been told that one in four British teenagers will suffer from depression. Counsellors certainly won't be out of a job, but they might only have limited success.
The pressure to 'stay connected' with the latest technology and gadgets is more than most of us can bear (or afford). So many people succumb to this game. The pain people go through because someone 'unfriended' them on Facebook... it seems worse than if the person had simply died! Insults online are taken are more personally than if people were to just meet face-to-face.
Keeping up with the latest trends and fashions becomes too heavy a burden to carry: it's too high a target and the result of failure is a step along the descent into depression. It's simply not worth it.
But that's the problem: most of our 'state of happiness' is driven by material needs. Whether it's the type of car/house/furniture we have, where we go on holiday, what technology we own... it's all materially-linked, and it's the main source of worry, unhappiness, discontentment.
Some people get into Christianity because they are told that no one is happier than when they live a life with Jesus. But that's a lie too.
Knowing Jesus doesn't make us happy. All our problems don't miraculously disappear. Even the hope of an eternal state of euphoria (the common interpretation of heaven, also not quite accurate) offers little help to us now. Some church services become driven by a need to make their congregations feel happy and want to come to church. It becomes an entertainment show with upbeat songs and dynamic preaching to try to convince people that their church is where you find happiness.
The reality is that Jesus never promised happiness. Even the apostle Paul said that he has learned to be content in all aspects of life (Phil 4:11-13). Jesus says, "In this world you will have trouble." Jesus even talks to his followers of when you are persecuted, not if you are persecuted (Matt 10:23 and Luke 12:11). He also says, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also."
The truth is that there are many hardships in life, many trials which we will all face at some time. No one is exempt. Persecution comes in many forms, even from within the church too! Happiness will always evade us, always just beyond our reach. Jesus tells us, "Take heart! I have overcome the world."
The pursuit of happiness will lead to depression. Many times, the Bible says 'do not be afraid' and that is what we need to cling to. Learning to not fear in life will keep us away from depression. Our lives will never be completely free from trouble, but through it all we can have inner peace, the peace that only Jesus can give.
Do not confuse happiness and peace. And do not mistake the peace of Jesus as freedom from troubles. Anyone who preaches freedom from troubles is a liar. Anyone who preaches that Jesus brings happiness is also a liar.
It's not wrong to be happy, it's just short-lived. Although it's one of America's 'unalienable rights', don't spend your life pursuing fleeting moments. In the words of Robert Heinlein:
The 'pursuit of happiness'? It is indeed unalienable but it is not a right; it is simply a universal condition which tyrants cannot take away nor patriots restore. Cast me into a dungeon, burn me at the stake, crown me king of kings, I can 'pursue happiness' as long as my brain lives - but neither gods nor saints, wise men nor subtle drugs, can ensure that I will catch it.
So be careful with using the phrase: "I just want you to be happy." It's a farce.
As if happiness is the most important thing in life. It's a load of rubbish. It's a farce. 'Happiness', as it's understood today, doesn't exist. Possibly the most-used French word for 'happy' is content. Although it has slightly different connotations, the English word contentedness is much more realistic.
We can be 'content' with what we have: with our material possessions, our job, our family, and so on. (And perhaps, instead of the usual, "I'm fine," this is a more realistic answer to the question of, "How are you?")
But happiness? Nowadays it seems to relate to an extreme sense of satisfaction. Marketing strategies use this as much as possible: almost every product out there is the best ever and will do just what you want it to. We know that money can't buy happiness, but the driving ideology is that what you buy with money can make you happy. But it's a lie.
More than material things, our mental state is incredibly important. Our outlook on life, how we feel about the world around us. The pressures and stresses of life can 'get us down'. Over the last few years, I've been told that one in four British teenagers will suffer from depression. Counsellors certainly won't be out of a job, but they might only have limited success.
The pressure to 'stay connected' with the latest technology and gadgets is more than most of us can bear (or afford). So many people succumb to this game. The pain people go through because someone 'unfriended' them on Facebook... it seems worse than if the person had simply died! Insults online are taken are more personally than if people were to just meet face-to-face.
Keeping up with the latest trends and fashions becomes too heavy a burden to carry: it's too high a target and the result of failure is a step along the descent into depression. It's simply not worth it.
But that's the problem: most of our 'state of happiness' is driven by material needs. Whether it's the type of car/house/furniture we have, where we go on holiday, what technology we own... it's all materially-linked, and it's the main source of worry, unhappiness, discontentment.
Some people get into Christianity because they are told that no one is happier than when they live a life with Jesus. But that's a lie too.
Knowing Jesus doesn't make us happy. All our problems don't miraculously disappear. Even the hope of an eternal state of euphoria (the common interpretation of heaven, also not quite accurate) offers little help to us now. Some church services become driven by a need to make their congregations feel happy and want to come to church. It becomes an entertainment show with upbeat songs and dynamic preaching to try to convince people that their church is where you find happiness.
The reality is that Jesus never promised happiness. Even the apostle Paul said that he has learned to be content in all aspects of life (Phil 4:11-13). Jesus says, "In this world you will have trouble." Jesus even talks to his followers of when you are persecuted, not if you are persecuted (Matt 10:23 and Luke 12:11). He also says, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also."
The truth is that there are many hardships in life, many trials which we will all face at some time. No one is exempt. Persecution comes in many forms, even from within the church too! Happiness will always evade us, always just beyond our reach. Jesus tells us, "Take heart! I have overcome the world."
The pursuit of happiness will lead to depression. Many times, the Bible says 'do not be afraid' and that is what we need to cling to. Learning to not fear in life will keep us away from depression. Our lives will never be completely free from trouble, but through it all we can have inner peace, the peace that only Jesus can give.
Do not confuse happiness and peace. And do not mistake the peace of Jesus as freedom from troubles. Anyone who preaches freedom from troubles is a liar. Anyone who preaches that Jesus brings happiness is also a liar.
It's not wrong to be happy, it's just short-lived. Although it's one of America's 'unalienable rights', don't spend your life pursuing fleeting moments. In the words of Robert Heinlein:
The 'pursuit of happiness'? It is indeed unalienable but it is not a right; it is simply a universal condition which tyrants cannot take away nor patriots restore. Cast me into a dungeon, burn me at the stake, crown me king of kings, I can 'pursue happiness' as long as my brain lives - but neither gods nor saints, wise men nor subtle drugs, can ensure that I will catch it.
So be careful with using the phrase: "I just want you to be happy." It's a farce.
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