Finding happiness

There seems to be a variety of ways that people find personal happiness (definitionally speaking).  Either through substances (food, alcohol, cannabis, etc.), through sex, or through distraction. The odd thing about using distraction is that WHAT that thing is that one is using to distract is irrelevant.  The mere fact that some “thing” is being used for a purpose other than its created purpose, automatically makes it an abuse. It can even be a “good” thing, i.e., exercise, learning, philanthropy. But the mere fact that it, as a tool, is being used to distract our thinking away from those things that are real or valuable, ruins it.

How does one find happiness?  It is even possible? Better yet, is it even valid to make finding happiness a goal for one’s life?  The church teaches us that this life was given for repentance. In other words, we are born, without our consent, into a family we didn’t choose, into a culture we didn’t choose, and into a period of time we did not choose.  We are born with sinful inclinations and with a soul that is a “son of Adam.” The mere fact that we are born human automatically makes us needy. But being blinded by sin, distracted by the bright, shiny things of the culture in which we live, raised by parents who are distracted and sinful as well, our potential for holiness is limited.

We can only find true happiness in holiness.   Sure, we may find titillation and entertainment in the world around us, but this is fleeting and very short lived.  The law of diminishing returns is a painful reality. We see it especially brightly in substance abuse. We will find no true happiness in things, in distractions, or even in people.  There is nothing wrong with any of these things, especially people, as God created man to be in communion. Ultimately with Him, but nearly just as much so, with other men. But our sinfulness, and the sinfulness of others, makes us selfish and mean.  Our fallen nature ruins everything. Especially our ability to see and embrace true happiness.

So finding happiness takes place when we do not seek it.  Finding happiness comes when we think of life as boot camp, a time for training and a time for hard work.  Like the carrot in front of the donkey, we will never reach the carrot if the carrot is what we seek. If we learn to look past those “bright, shiny things” that are constantly in our view, to the true end goal.  We will find true joy during the journey and true happiness at its end.

Don’t confuse the two.

Happiness defined

What does it mean to be “happy”?  There is the unselfish answer of “knowing that we have made others happy”, but that only pushes the question back one level.  Who defines “happy”?  We can say “the church”, but then the first answer of “knowing that we have made others happy” breaks down.  We would only then be happy if the happiness of the other was defined by the church.  If someone else’s “happy” is self-centered and passion-based, then we will have failed.  We will then not be happy, as the happiness of others is false and we have not achieved.  Nor should we want to achieve that which is contrary to what the church believes and teaches to be true.

But maybe achieving “happiness” is not actually the goal of the Christian life.  Happiness may be a short sighted and selfish goal.  If we are, instead, supposed to achieve holiness, regardless of how we feel, then our lives will be one of struggle, repentance, tears and suffering, as the world will not understand us, support us, or care for us.  Even those closest to us will probably not understand, as the pursuit of holiness seems to be a rare occurrence.