Happiness. Seems to be the most important thing. We raise our kids to be happy. We balance our careers and leisure to ensure we are happy. We analyze our relationships and their fulfillment, to discover if we are really happy. Happiness feels good in the moment. And who wouldn't want that?
The longer we live on this earth and experience life, we learn that what once made us happy in our youth may run dry the older and wiser we get. Halloween candy sugar highs only last so long. Some are short-lived, but there are some things that last. There are satisfactions and fulfillments that exist beyond our initial pleasures.
For the Christian, this becomes an even bigger question when considering the world of God. What is His purpose? Does He submit to giving us the happiness of our moment, or does He have a greater plan for us? Does God want us to be happy? Or does He want something more than that for us?
The shocking truth for Christians is that God doesn’t count our momentary happiness as important as eternal security. And at times, He may even act like He doesn’t care at all about happiness. However, our idol of happiness has invaded the Christian Faith. When we are happy and prosperous, we may expect it’s a display of God's favor. When our life is wrecked with pain and suffering, we may think it is not God's plan. But the Bible says something very different.
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