AuburnChick's Adventures

This week’s sermon at church was a good one.  It was about happiness.

Happiness is something sought after by most people in this world.  We buy things and try things with the hope that we will stay in that elated state we call happiness.  However, all too often, the new wears off, and we’re back to feeling so-so…let-down.

Why?

Because happiness is not something that we can gain from our own efforts.  It’s a gift from God.

Have you ever heard about people who have had horrible things happen in their lives, but still, they are happy.

We looked at Ecclesiastes, a book in which Solomon is credited as the writer.  Solomon was the richest man on earth.  He built palaces, married over 400 women, and conquered many people.  Yet, he became extremely unhappy…dissatisfied.

He forgot from Whom his happiness came.  Not in material gains, but in the simple fact that he was God’s child.

The pastor challenged us to be content in our circumstances, no matter how dire or pleasant.  Life is a roller coaster.  Much of it is beyond our control.  But we can find joy in the knowledge that God is in control.  Nothing happens in our life that He hasn’t allowed.  All of these things serve to make us more into His image.

This sermon convicted me.  I have been very guilty of allowing my emotional state to reflect the current circumstances of my life, whether it was the stress of going to school or the tension that exists between my teenage children and me.

Happiness is not dependent on what I’m doing or what is happening to me.

Happiness is a gift from God.

What a novel idea!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Christianity, happiness |