It seems to me that most people make happiness one of, if not the priority of their life. I hear people say all the time, "if that will make you happy then go for it!" In this wonderful nation of ours where the "pursuit of life, liberty...and happiness" reigns, I wonder if we do ourselves an injustice by emphasizing the goal of happiness too much. On the one hand, I can be quoted as often using the phrase, "life's too short not to be happy." In some contexts that works as a motivational statement, however as a philosophy of life it can also be very dangerous, it seems to me. Making life decisions within a "happiness centered worldview" might lead towards a very self-centered existence. I know the Bible has quite a bit to say about this issue, but for the moment, what do you think?
What is the goal of life? Happiness, or is it something else?
Shutting Down...
14 years ago
2 comments:
I trully believe with you. You have tolled me, Hailey Wilshire, many times that life isn't about being happy it is about having that joy in your heart from Jesus' love that you can't get anywhere else. I went through a lot this summer and the beginning of this school year. I went from losing a cousin, losing another youth pastor, and not trusting my senior pastor. I understand that Joy that God puts in my heart and every christians heart. It is amazing because whenever you aren't happy you can rely on that JOY. The goal of life, I believe, to kingdom work. To show others Jesus and to grow in your relationship in Christ. It sounds easy but it's not.
PS I love your blog.
The purpose of happiness is to keep us on the path of finding joy. In Galations it reads
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, flongsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, btemperance: against such there is no law.
Happiness is a temporal thing, the feeling of joy, that knowing that everything will be okay even though all your doing in your life is re-arranging deck chairs on a sinking ship, is what we really should be working for. Joy is the true emination of the Spirit supporting us, happiness is a big bowl of chocolate ice cream. Yes, it's good and refreshing, but just as fleeting.
Post a Comment