Pursuing Happiness

I have a T-shirt that I love. It’s old and not so great looking but it’s still my favorite. On the back it says “Created to Worship.” I love it because at my core I believe this. We are created to worship. We are created to be in a relationship with Jesus Christ. And it is only through pursuing this that we find happiness.

But man, do we pursue other things! We pursue our careers, the perfect house, the spotless image, lots and lots of material things or the perfect entertainment. We pursue control, security and immediate gratification. Will these things make you happy? Not really at your core. You will, for a moment, feel satisfied but there will not be a peaceful happiness for long.

The Bible tells us how to find lasting happiness.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4
So rejoice in the Lord and be glad. Psalm 32:11
Yes, joyful are those who live like this! Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:15
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Philippians 4:4

When we are in pursuit of Jesus, that’s when we find true, deep-down happiness. No matter what’s happening around us, to us and in us, we are at peace.

You were created with a God-sized hole in your heart. Only he can fill it. How are you searching for happiness today? What are you pursuing? Is it working?

What Day of the Week Are You?

........a time to laugh. Ecclesiastes 3:4 (NLT)

I think Monday gets a bum rap. Everyone complains that Monday is coming and everyone laments that it is here. What if we looked forward to Monday the same way we look forward to Friday? What a great day it would be! No matter what happened, it'd be OK because it's Monday!

Probably not going to happen, I know but thinking about this made me think about Christians. Are we living our lives as "Monday Christians" or "Friday Christians"? When people talk to us, do they walk away with the feeling of "Oh Man, it's Monday. Life is awful and I wish I could go back to bed." or "It's Friday! It's Friday! Life is amazing and I can't wait for tomorrow!"

True, there are times when things are not laughable and we do need to address those. Ecclesiastes 3 talks about there being a time for everything. But that's not what we are talking about here. What we are talking about is the general way in which you live your life.

Which day of the week do you reflect to those around you?  Are you a Monday or a Friday personality? Whatever day of the week - laugh. God created you to laugh and he tells us to do it. Most importantly, as you do it changes you and reflects the joy of the one who created - who created you to laugh.

He will once again fill your mouth with laughter
    and your lips with shouts of joy.
Job 8:21 (NLT)