We live in a culture obsessed with happiness. Do whatever makes you happy, right? Happiness is a goal above all else. And then worse, we turn someone else's pursuit of the all-hail King Happiness into a selfish statement about me me me. "As long as it doesn't hurt me, do what makes you happy."
We are quite conceited, aren't we? First to think that doing whatever we think will make us happy will, indeed, actually produce results. Then to think that someone else's unrealistic ambitions of making themselves happy really depends on whether or not that thing will hurt me.
I hate to break this to you. We don't make ourselves happy. We never have.
What we do is strive for more and always think we have less.
What we do is look at another's gifts and think we were cheated.
What we do is lust for forbidden fruit and think it will satisfy our needs.
What we do is seek happiness and always fall just a bit short.
The truth is we will never be happy if our goal is happiness. Whenever we get what we think will make us happy, there is always something else just out of reach. Happiness is exhausting. Happiness is empty. Happiness is a pursuit unworthy of our valiant efforts.
True happiness only comes through contentment.
True contentment only comes through the perfect following of God's Law and plan...
Blasted.
That means I have to trust that God has given me all I need.
That means I have to perfectly love my neighbor even when he has so much more than me.
That means I have to completely give myself to the only one God has given me in marriage.
That means I have to rejoice in the gifts given to another rather than wanting them for myself.
So, my pursuit of contentment falls pretty short. My greatest efforts at finding contentment will always be just out of reach in this life, because I am a sinner. I don't always trust God's gifts. I don't always love my neighbor's success. I don't always give to my husband. I don't always resist wanting more than I have been given.
Thanks be to God that contentment and happiness are found in recognizing our own failings and rejoicing in the Christ who took all of them upon himself. When we say, "As long as it doesn't hurt me," He says, "Crucify Me instead." When we say, "Do whatever makes you happy," He says, "Come all you who are weary and I will give you rest."
True rest.
True contentment.
True happiness.
