Growing In Faith
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Posted: June 11, 2022
Author: Kerry Lytle Nehemiah 8:10b, New Living Translation "For the joy of the Lord is your strength!" |
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Many people today believe that God's ultimate goal is to make us happy. This is especially popular in America where we have a strong sense of entitlement. Here's how the thinking goes: "Whatever makes me happy must be right. Whatever makes me unhappy must be wrong. Discomfort, delay, risk, suffering, inconveniences, and obstacles can't be God's will. Without knowing it, we begin to worship false gods of comfort, money, pleasure, and things.
God calls us to holiness, not to happiness. He wants us to honor Him with our daily choices and overall lifestyle. According to the Bible, there is right and wrong. And when something is wrong (or simply stupid), God says “don’t do it” – even if it was making us happy.
Followers of Jesus have a different view of things than everyone else. We know there is more to this life than the here and now. So lusting after what this world offers – and seeking to find total fulfillment and happiness in it – is idolatry. And God doesn’t want us to worship idols.
God’s goal for us is to be blessed, even when things aren’t going the way you want them to go. God’s desire is to make us holy, not just temporarily happy. True happiness is a “blessed” life, and it only comes when we seek God above all else.
Pictures of smiley, happy people flood our social media feeds daily. With the use of technology, it’s become commonplace to show off what we have, what brings us pleasure, and what we can’t get enough of. All the while, we are paying close attention to how many likes and comments we receive. If we can portray a happy life we must be happy, right?
Yet, within the last 20 years, depression, anxiety, and suicide are on the rise. How can this be true if we’re smiling all the time? Clearly, what we are doing that “makes us happy” isn’t really working. In fact, it’s toxic.
When sin entered the world, human minds and bodies became at war with God. So, we cannot assume what makes us feel happy is always good for us. Happiness is an emotion controlled by our sinful nature. As Christians, our spirit aligns with God’s Spirit and opens our eyes to what is good for us so we can “put off our old self,” (Ephesians 4:22) the one with the sinful desires. To do so, we must recognize any false nourishment to our mind and body that’s giving us fake happiness.
We must instead, feed our spirit by turning our focus to Jesus. He brings eternal joy and fulfillment which worldly things cannot provide.
What are some of the reasons the “do what makes you happy” mindset is toxic?
First, material things will not make you happy:
The stress of keeping up with everyone else is exhausting. Material things get old, worn, and outdated. They can break or be stolen. Big homes or new cars do not save marriages or make one happy. Full bank accounts do not take away depression or troubles in the home. Things do not make you happy. They only nourish the sin of greed.
Ask yourself if material items take up the place in your life where Jesus should be. Do you long for more of Him, or instead for more financial profit, or items to put in your closet? Or a fancier car to drive? Or a bigger house to showcase?
In Luke 12:15, Jesus says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” If you want a life that means something, one with joy and lasting fulfillment in abundance, possessions will not achieve it.
Secondly, pleasures and thrills will not make you happy:
Chasing from thrill to thrill will not only get old and tiring, it will eventually lead to a dead end. You will find yourself even less happy than when you began.
Third, overconsumption will not make you happy:
We love excess. Whether it’s social media, screen time, sweets, shopping, or video games, our culture’s tendency for more and more often tumbles over into a lack of self-control, an addiction we cannot shake, or a devotion to worldly things we should not have.
Anything we worship other than God is an idol, making us an idolater, and God does not like competing for our attention. Though He is a gentleman, which means He will never force us to turn His direction.
In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul speaks to the people, “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but I will not be mastered by anything.”
Evaluate if anything other than Jesus is conquering you. It could be the devil is using this to steal your closeness and time with Him.
Lastly, compliments or "likes" will not make you happy:
Most Americans are on some form of social media. And take a moment to search the effects of social media on young, adolescent minds.
An overall view of social media says it’s awesome. We are able to find old friends, post pictures of our gorgeous, extraordinary kids, and keep in touch with family. And, yes, these are great things. But, what about our growing need for affirmation and acknowledgement through those hearts, likes, and comments? More ego affecting if you ask me. Driving us to puff ourselves up more and more in our need to get a self-worth boost from people online, most of who we do not see in person regularly or even at all. We feel "happy" every time someone hits the thumbs up or heart on one of our posts. Is this you? If I am honest, I have gone back to a post many times to check the number of likes and comments it received.
So how do we break free from the toxicity?
I believe it starts with asking what the motivation is every time we hit send. Every time we buy luxury items. Every time we stretch beyond our means and disregard our conscience. Every time we tell ourselves we have no value in the seasons that are not so ‘happy.’
Let’s reevaluate and strip the devil of his power to inject toxins into our hearts. Learn how to find true happiness from the Lord and His Truth - the Bible. True happiness is found in Jesus. This happiness, or joy, transcends anything that wealth or success can offer. As we find our strength in Jesus, trusting His Word, and loving others, we will find true happiness. Happiness is a gift from a God who delights in the joy of His children!
God calls us to holiness, not to happiness. He wants us to honor Him with our daily choices and overall lifestyle. According to the Bible, there is right and wrong. And when something is wrong (or simply stupid), God says “don’t do it” – even if it was making us happy.
Followers of Jesus have a different view of things than everyone else. We know there is more to this life than the here and now. So lusting after what this world offers – and seeking to find total fulfillment and happiness in it – is idolatry. And God doesn’t want us to worship idols.
God’s goal for us is to be blessed, even when things aren’t going the way you want them to go. God’s desire is to make us holy, not just temporarily happy. True happiness is a “blessed” life, and it only comes when we seek God above all else.
Pictures of smiley, happy people flood our social media feeds daily. With the use of technology, it’s become commonplace to show off what we have, what brings us pleasure, and what we can’t get enough of. All the while, we are paying close attention to how many likes and comments we receive. If we can portray a happy life we must be happy, right?
Yet, within the last 20 years, depression, anxiety, and suicide are on the rise. How can this be true if we’re smiling all the time? Clearly, what we are doing that “makes us happy” isn’t really working. In fact, it’s toxic.
When sin entered the world, human minds and bodies became at war with God. So, we cannot assume what makes us feel happy is always good for us. Happiness is an emotion controlled by our sinful nature. As Christians, our spirit aligns with God’s Spirit and opens our eyes to what is good for us so we can “put off our old self,” (Ephesians 4:22) the one with the sinful desires. To do so, we must recognize any false nourishment to our mind and body that’s giving us fake happiness.
We must instead, feed our spirit by turning our focus to Jesus. He brings eternal joy and fulfillment which worldly things cannot provide.
What are some of the reasons the “do what makes you happy” mindset is toxic?
First, material things will not make you happy:
The stress of keeping up with everyone else is exhausting. Material things get old, worn, and outdated. They can break or be stolen. Big homes or new cars do not save marriages or make one happy. Full bank accounts do not take away depression or troubles in the home. Things do not make you happy. They only nourish the sin of greed.
Ask yourself if material items take up the place in your life where Jesus should be. Do you long for more of Him, or instead for more financial profit, or items to put in your closet? Or a fancier car to drive? Or a bigger house to showcase?
In Luke 12:15, Jesus says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” If you want a life that means something, one with joy and lasting fulfillment in abundance, possessions will not achieve it.
Secondly, pleasures and thrills will not make you happy:
Chasing from thrill to thrill will not only get old and tiring, it will eventually lead to a dead end. You will find yourself even less happy than when you began.
Third, overconsumption will not make you happy:
We love excess. Whether it’s social media, screen time, sweets, shopping, or video games, our culture’s tendency for more and more often tumbles over into a lack of self-control, an addiction we cannot shake, or a devotion to worldly things we should not have.
Anything we worship other than God is an idol, making us an idolater, and God does not like competing for our attention. Though He is a gentleman, which means He will never force us to turn His direction.
In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul speaks to the people, “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but I will not be mastered by anything.”
Evaluate if anything other than Jesus is conquering you. It could be the devil is using this to steal your closeness and time with Him.
Lastly, compliments or "likes" will not make you happy:
Most Americans are on some form of social media. And take a moment to search the effects of social media on young, adolescent minds.
An overall view of social media says it’s awesome. We are able to find old friends, post pictures of our gorgeous, extraordinary kids, and keep in touch with family. And, yes, these are great things. But, what about our growing need for affirmation and acknowledgement through those hearts, likes, and comments? More ego affecting if you ask me. Driving us to puff ourselves up more and more in our need to get a self-worth boost from people online, most of who we do not see in person regularly or even at all. We feel "happy" every time someone hits the thumbs up or heart on one of our posts. Is this you? If I am honest, I have gone back to a post many times to check the number of likes and comments it received.
So how do we break free from the toxicity?
I believe it starts with asking what the motivation is every time we hit send. Every time we buy luxury items. Every time we stretch beyond our means and disregard our conscience. Every time we tell ourselves we have no value in the seasons that are not so ‘happy.’
Let’s reevaluate and strip the devil of his power to inject toxins into our hearts. Learn how to find true happiness from the Lord and His Truth - the Bible. True happiness is found in Jesus. This happiness, or joy, transcends anything that wealth or success can offer. As we find our strength in Jesus, trusting His Word, and loving others, we will find true happiness. Happiness is a gift from a God who delights in the joy of His children!
