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Happiness Is For Hippies. Seek Joy.

Author

Wes Schaeffer
May 14, 2021

From today’s reading…

I have loved you just as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.” John 15:9-11

Joy is not the same as happiness. In watching my wife deliver seven children, I know she was happy when the labor pains ended but filled with joy as she saw her healthy children.

In the fall of 1987, I was on the back wall of our kickoff return team.

I was happy when I got a good block on my guy, but I was filled with joy when I saw T.C. Lozano sprint up the field for a touchdown.

That’s why I cringe when I see people say things like,

  • “Don’t think too much. Just do what makes you happy.”

  • “You deserve to be happy.”

  • “Whatever makes you happy, just do it.”

  • “Life only comes around once, so do whatever makes you happy.”

Good grief.

That’s the level of insight and wisdom to which we have shrunk as a people. Let me ask you this.

If something makes me happy today but will make me sad tomorrow, should I do it?

If something makes me happy today but will make my family unhappy tomorrow, should I do it?

Eating a dozen donuts this morning would make me happy now, but then crashing after the sugar high would make me sleep through my client call later, which would cause them to give me a one-star review then fire me and request a refund, which would cause me to lose more business, which would send me into bankruptcy, foreclosure, divorce, then give me a heart attack, and lead to my early death due to being diabetic, obese, broke, and stressed out.

Conversely, living to a ripe old age, getting my black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, writing an NYT best-seller, meeting my grandkids and great-grandkids, singing with George Strait by a campfire while sharing a Bud Light would all bring me joy.

If all we can hope for in the greatest country on earth is the pursuit of happiness, then why is happiness your goal?

Seek joy, which is only found in Jesus, and is the only way to…

Stay the course.Keep the faith.Endure.

Now go sell something.