The quest for happiness

Our culture is on a never ending quest for happiness. Like those who look for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, our culture is on a quest for happiness. It seems, from what I see, there is no price too high, no person too important to deter us when we begin this quest for happiness. Like the gold at the end of the rainbow it's a quest that will never be fulfilled.

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Clearly I am not trying to say that happiness is not available. It is. What is not possible is the pursuit of happiness when it conflicts with God's clear directions from his word. Again this week I have had a counseling session in which one of the two in a marriage said (to justify their choice for divorce), "I just want to be happy..." And with that one statement they set aside all that the bible tells them about life and choice. Somehow, some way they think that God will ignore their choice and grant their pursuit of the god of our culture- happiness.

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We are a culture that worships the god of happiness. We easily turn our backs on God to pursue this new god looking for the very thing that only comes from walking with God. Once more, as I have done a hundred times, I tell this one, "You will NEVER find happiness disobeying God." But I know, as I have watched others make the same choice, that they do not believe me. What's wrong with the Christian of our day? How can we so easily disobey the God we say we love....but there comes the rub. We easily come to him for forgiveness and salvation, but when love for God and obedience to him is the next step we reply, "Oh, no thanks, I'm saved. God will forgive me. I think I'll do it my way." And off we go into the very sins that Christ died for. How can we do that?

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I think one thing is true of our culture- we have come to believe the lie that has two parts to it. Here's how well the lie is woven in culture today. We have come to believe that God wants us happy and so we have permission to disobey him. How did we get here? This is insanity. It's the very picture God paints for Ezekiel in his book when he shows him the temple in Jerusalem with people at the temple worshipping, but they aren't worshipping God. In fact, they have their backs turned on the temple and are bowing down to the sun in the east. In God's very presence they are worshipping the sun he made! How crazy is that? And that is the very thing Christians are doing in our day.....claiming his name, but disobeying his word. I'm sorry, but you will never find happiness disobeying God. It just isn't there. The quest for happiness begins with a heart that says, "Lord, I want to follow you, I want to obey you. Show me how you want me to live." And then jump into his word. The bible is the guide for the weary traveler on a quest for the one thing that only God offers when we walk with him. David wrote these words. They describe a truth that many "Christians" do not believe, but it's true. Here are his words as direction for us- Psalm 18:30 "As for God, his way is perfect. . . ." If this is true, then any way I take that is contrary to his is not perfect. This is pretty simple stuff....and yet, today once more I will hear someone say, to justify a choice to sin, "I just want to be happy...."

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The only way to find what you're looking for is to walk with God. His way is perfect. He's the only one who can satisfy the hunger for happiness that plagues our culture today.

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