Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell
in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in
the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. –Psalm
37:3, 4 (KJV)
Happiness can be elusive. One day we might
feel a sort of happiness only to feel sorrowful later on. It would
be nice to experience happiness all of the time, yet we realize this
is unrealistic. However, we can have the peace of Christ in our
hearts at all times, which in turn leads to happiness even in the midst
of our sorrows. Without Christ in our lives we drift along without any clear purpose or direction.
Does this describe someone you know? Perhaps it describes you.
To go through life without the stabilizing presence of the Lord can
bring about terrible bitterness as many have realized.
For example, H.G. Wells said at age 61, "I have
no peace. All life is at the end of the tether.” The poet
Byron said, "My days are in yellow leaf, the flowers and fruits
of life are gone, the worm and the canker, and the grief are mine alone.”
The literary genius Henry David Thoreau said, "Most men live lives
of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."
As I consider these quotes I think of people I have known over the years
who appeared to be happy, contented, and satisfied with life.
Yet, this was a façade. In reality, they were unhappy to the
point of misery and had been for some time. Again, you may be
able to relate to this condition.
In Jesus Christ there is peace, contentment, and
the power for overcoming the bitterness of life. God reminds us
in His Word that He will grant us the desire of our heart, which will
come through faith in Him. Most people desire happiness and contentment
more than anything, and faith in the Lord fills the unhappy void in
our lives. The Lord is ready to shower us with an abundance of
spiritual riches. By faith these blessings are ours to receive.
Remember, all of us are responsible for our own happiness.
Waiting for other people or situations to make us happy is a bitter
pursuit with no good outcome. George Bernard Shaw stated this
in stark terms when he said, “This is the true joy in life, the being
used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one: the being
thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, and being
a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments
and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to
making you happy.” Harsh words indeed, yet true.
My hope and prayer is God will empower me not to
be a “feverish selfish little clod of ailments complaining that the
world will not devote itself to making me happy.” Instead, I
pray I will be a vibrant, selfless, thankful person praising God for
the wealth of His blessings in my life. My, this sounds so much
better.
God bless you today.
