A life of being without God in this world is a life of hopelessness. It’s an existence of chasing after one thing after another after another, to try to maintain the happiness high. It doesn’t work. Happiness in this world cant be sustained. It can be experienced in spurts…..but then it evaporates, only to leave you hanging in deeper despair and looking for another way to chase it.
I think even after coming to faith in Christ, I have continued chasing after happiness in and of itself rather than chasing after Christ and finding happiness a thing to be contained in Him. And that’s why I keep going back to old idols for satisfaction…….because I’m dissatisfied with the results of my chasing.
Don’t hear me wrong….I know God wants me happy. I know He doesn’t want me miserable and moping about. But He wants me happy in Him, not in anything else. He doesn’t want me happy in happiness for happiness’ sake (if that makes sense), He wants me happy in Him. I need to chase after Christ for Christ and not use Him as means to an end. I think when I make Christ and only Christ my object of pursuit, and not just happiness, I will find the satisfaction I crave. As a regenerated Child of God, I’ve received capacities for satisfaction that can’t be curbed by anything less than God, Himself.
I think that I have yet to believe in my heart that God, in and of Himself, is sufficient to satisfy me to the highest level. So I haven’t sought after him with my whole heart. I’ve sought, for sure. But maybe only half heartedly or just enough to achieve a little contentment….I’ve sought enough to put depression at bay, but not enough to be filled with the fullness of God. I want to be filled with the fullness of God. I want to want Christ more than I want happiness because I know that only then can true happiness be grasped.
No real conclusion to this post. Just want to express in writing what’s been on me the last couple of days.
“To be continued…”
Your post reminds me of the words of our beloved Saviour: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” This is the attitude that comes across in your post — and this is the kind of attitude that I want for myself, knowing that without Jesus, I am poor, wretched, and blind. Sounds like Jesus is working humility in you. Praying that God fills you with His Spirit, joy, and peace!!
Matt, God is so amazing and brings to us what we truly crave. I am like you – searching for happiness for happiness sake. I want more than anything in life to find true love and the only place I can find that is in God. Even knowing this, I still try to search among dating sites, and other ways upon which I have control, not in which I sit back and let God take control. I know that God will take care of everything if I just get my grubby mitts off it. Keep your eyes on the Prize! Much love, your sister in Christ!
Sharon
“I think that I have yet to believe in my heart that God, in and of Himself, is sufficient to satisfy me to the highest level.”
Matt, your statement here stabs my own heart. In shame, I admit that because of the struggles and stress I fearfully experience there is no way I fully believe God is sufficient. I pray that God would give me the grace to strengthen my belief and grow in my faith that HE IS ENOUGH!
Good post, really good!
Matt,
Happiness is only one Prozac drip a way, but since most of us try to avoid needles, we have to look at other choices.
Happiness to me, is a choice, an approach to life. Gratitude is also a choice, which is related to happiness.
It’s about learning to appreciate, enjoy the things we have and if we are Christians it certainly must include our relationship with Christ.
I think we all have have met people who are miserable 24/7. I do wonder what do they have that I don’t? Perhaps they are miserable because they strive for that one more goal, achieve it, and still aren’t happy because they are never really grateful for what they did achieve???? Or maybe they are miserable because they are born that way.
Anyways, if we can figure out a way to be grateful, happiness will follow. Yes? No?
But does God want us happy? Um… Depends I suppose on what kind of happiness we seek. Are we seeking out material happiness or spiritual happiness (joy)?
Material happiness is what we receive from material good fortune-prosperity, health, etc. Spiritual happiness is what we receive from spiritual good fortune-faith, grace, forgiveness, etc.
Doing corporal works of mercy, receiving the sacraments, reading sacred Scripture, praying, can also make us joyful.
Right now Matt this hot cup of coffee and my warm fuzzy slippers are making me very happy because it’s freakin’ cold outside….so you see I am very grateful that my brother made the morning brew and my girlfriend brought to me the warm fuzzy slippers Christmas morning.
I guess we can sit around all day and ponder our relationship with Christ, arbitrarily looking back and seeing what we did or fail to do. We can waddle in the muck of Christian self-pity. Or we can divorce ourselves from that filth, wipe ourselves off, get clean by making things right with God and progressing forward.
Impossible to achieve Christian perfection if we keep telling ourselves we are not worthy of His name and living with that shame…
In my own religious journey have I not always lived up to my baptismal promises? Certainly! I have failed many times. I do suppose that’s why I go to confession once a month, to rid me of sin, so I can continue on with my journey. I do not hold onto those shortcomings and failings. As a Christian I have no such right to do so.
What wrongs we have done in the past, should remain there.
If we approach our Christian faith as defeatists we might as well tie a cement block to butts and find the highest bridge, jump, and go for a swim. Soon realizing we are drowning because we were stupid.
Why should we be followers of Christ if we are drowning in stupidity?
Anyways that’s my thoughts on happiness.
Ciao,
Davide
I like some of the points you made, in Christ we are victors.
but what do you mean by going to confession once a month to rid you of your sins?
Matt – Good post. I see so many people including myself that chase this false dream. Our goal should be holiness and joy, not the temporary void of happiness. I appreciate your posts. I hope all is well in LA and your training is going well. Talk soon.
Doug Rotondi
Sent from my iPhone
Yes, Matt, and it’s sad how we know this truth and yet I keep going to the world for what seems like happiness
You always get to the heart of the matter!
Matt- Check out this website, I think a crew is headed downto your town to do some outreach at the Superbowlin NOLA.
http://www.sfoi.org/
Yes Matt, and you are blessed because God has given you the insight to see this about yourself, most people wouldn’t give it a second thought. Narrow is the way…………….
I too have looked for happiness when I was searching for it many years ago, and yes all the times I thought I found it, it only lasted temporarily. God taught me to abide in His happiness… to trust in Him for everything even my happiness which to me it also means contentment.
I am learning that contentment/happiness is a spiritual state of satisfaction I can have in my mind and heart, in spite of what I have, or what I am experiencing in my life. Contentment is when I possess an inner satisfaction of my heart in the midst of the changing circumstances in my life or in spite of the financial and monetary status I might have. My health, money, or job status might change, but in the midst of these changes, I can have an inner satisfaction that comes from facing life in will of God and accepting His overall purpose for my life.
My dad is a Baptist preacher. So, I was made aware of the sinfulness of homosexuality at a very early age. I actually came out to my parents about six years ago. I thought that I could finally be happy. I thought that I would be liberated; if my friends and family knew “who I was” that I would finally be able to accept this lifestyle. Even after six years of coming out, I still feel a sense of longing. I have seen all of the pro-gay interpretations of the Bible and have tried to rationalize how I could possibly be a gay Christian. I have let a select few of my friends know about my struggle with homosexuality. I have finally come to the point in the road where I have to make a decision. Do I continue to live a lifestyle that I know that is wrong? This is a lifestyle that will never reward me with the things that I want out of life. Or do I choose Him? I have finally decided that it is time to make Him the center piece of my life. I actually just found this website tonight. I am so happy that it is up to date because that means that I can be held accountable to all of the people who visit. Feel free to follow me on Twitter, as well. @the_timgilmore
Thank you, Matt, for reminding us that He is our joy. Tim, I am praying for you.
Thank you, Dianne
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! 10 So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). (2 Cor. 12:9,10)
My question is, how do you walk all the Spirit 24/7?
Then again am I ready for the persecution that would ensue if I did….I would be if I were in the Spirit!
Wow! Tim I am so thrilled that you’re here. You are now on my mind and heart. I am praying you will continue to die to self and seek the centrality of Jesus. There will be hard times, but keep pressing in. You know what I mean?
It has been a while since i have commented on these posts because I have taken a break to seek Christ in the scriptures and prayer. I wanted to share some thoughts on this subject because it has been on my heart a lot. Happiness is a term that the world sees as the ultimate goal in our lives especially in the USA where it is imbed with the idea of being “American”. Happiness is a short-lived experience where the emphasis is on the earthy versus the spiritual which is eternal. It is the reason that our society constantly seeks this whether in partying or some thrill seeking pursuit to meet this want. The world tells us to seek relationships idolizing sex or another person to make them complete. It has been the hallmark of our current society. How many say to us that they are simply seeking happiness. It is natural for the people in this world to seek this shorted lived experience which blinds to the beauty of Christ and what God can be to us. God gives us real and lasting contentment and joy which far exceeds anything on this earth. It begins and is centered in our relationship with Christ. He told us that He came to give us abundant life and it begins with him. Unfortunately to many of us miss out something which Christ intended for us which is to grow in community with other believers so we can more fully experience the fullness of Christ’s love for us. I used to spend years thinking my relationship with Christ was a simply a solitary experience until my eyes were open to so many scriptures which showed me the blessing of meeting and developing relationships with other believers to more fully experience the life that Christ came to give us. He gave us all a spiritual gift for the purpose of encouraging and edifying each other so we can more fully experience the healing and joy that Christ wanted for us. He does this by the Holy Spirit that dwells in every real follower of Christ. So I encourage everyone who reads this to first put their hope in Christ and seek relationship based on the love of Christ which is revealed to us in the covenant found in the scriptures which leads us to real and healthy relationships. The world will tells us that their warped versions of love so evident in the prevalence of sexual relationships is the way to go versus finding the joy and love that Christ wants to give us in him and healthy relationships with the body of Christ around us. Surrender to the love of Christ because he is wants and is able to save you and lead to you to wholeness.
Philippians 2:1-2 ” Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.”
Ephesians 3:14-21 “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named. I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
In Christ, Albert
It must be terrible to feel forced to deny ones true nature over words from an ancient book of fiction. It’s individuals like yourself that make gay teenagers become so overwhelmed with false guilt that they are driven to suicide.
Embrace your true nature sir. I wish you a joyous future filled with penises.