Happiness

Man is idolatrous by nature. He idolizes himself, the world, created things and beings.The self is a narcissistic being; it can not help but pride itself before the eyes of the world. This ostentatious display of self manifests its innate desire for acceptance, affirmation, attention, adoration, accolade, honor, praises.

 

The old maxim says, “Know thyself.” The popular philosophy is “Love thyself."

But that’s not what Jesus said. “Take your cross and follow Me…”

Happiness is not being able to flaunt to the world what one owns, places visited, parties celebrated and attended, food tasted, important people rubbed elbows with. It is not being able to boast in one’s achievements, titles, accomplishments in any field of endeavor. It is not in being able to showcase one’s body, or the fashionable clothes, jewelries, and accessories one wears. Everything that the world gives is fleeting: it doesn’t last. It is something to enjoy for a moment, but  it is not something one will present before God in his final hours on his deathbed.

This world after all is not the pilgrim’s home. For the pilgrim, it is a lonely place for he does not belong to it; he only longs for his heavenly home.

True happiness is being secure of one’s salvation. It is more than happiness even. It is joy, inner joy which springs from the fact that unworthy as I am, the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed me from my sins. It is a joyful hope that one day I shall be with Him forever.

“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2

“The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship withh others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorptin in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share his inner experiences, he is forced to walk alone.” The Loneliness of the Christian by A.W. Tozer

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19

“Thou will shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” Psalm 16:11