Tuesday, January 5, 2010

How Happy

“How happy is the man who…” (Psalm 1:1)

Most people want to be happy. They seek happiness as if it were some kind of commodity, or something actually achievable, though. It is not achievable. Trying to obtain happiness is as elusive as chasing the wind.

Happiness is always a by-product of something else. It is the state of mind or life that results from some other life action. For example, a student makes an “A” on a test, and he or she is happy. Someone who is unemployed finds a job, and the result is happiness. A husband and wife have a child, and they are happy. Happiness is always other-action-dependent.

The greatest happiness is dependent on direction. One direction is away from God. The other is toward God. And all of us choose one direction or the other.

Those who choose the path away from God align themselves with those who have little or no regard for the things of God, and they receive their life-input from folks who are disinterested in God. Ultimately, the sin of those they follow becomes their own. They snub God, and they will never experience any genuine happiness in life.

Those who choose the path toward God enjoy thinking about and learn from and applying God’s truths. Their lives produce endless fruit, and this fruit is what we call “happiness.” Those moving away from God have no real life substance (they are like “chaff”), but those moving toward God will enjoy His blessings and will discover what real life is all about.

Lord, May we each today experience the happiness that comes from knowing You and applying Your truth to our lives. Amen.

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