If you ask the average person on the street what their fundamental goal in life is, they will frequently say, "Oh, to be happy. I just want to be as happy as possible." Even most Christians think happiness is the primary goal of life and that knowing God is just an avenue to achieving this goal. But is this right? Did God put us on the planet so that we might maximize our happiness? Does God extend Himself to us so that we might be as happy as possible? No, our happiness is not God's chief concern.
In God's economy, many things are much more important than happiness. First among these things is simply knowing Him. This is the basic reason you and I exist; we were made to know God. Often, however, we can be induced into a relationship with God only after we have been made to need Him. And creating this need in us, many times requires suffering. Myriad are the stories of Christians who came to faith in Christ only when they were in desperate straights, having exhausted all human resources and remedies. God knows that ease, and comfort, and happiness can be impediments to knowing Him and so He acts to remove these things from us and then, by discomfort, and difficulty, and suffering, He crowds us to Himself.
Outside of religion, too, the sacrifice of happiness for better, higher purposes has been necessary. Imagine if the millions of soldiers who entered the various theaters of wars in World War II had all just thrown down their guns and said, "No. I refuse to fight for freedom, and democracy, and to protect the innocent. My happiness is more important than all these things. I will not resist tyranny and oppression if it diminishes or threatens my happiness!" What a different - and horrendous - world we'd be living in today!
Our personal survival also sometimes depends upon our happiness being deflated by reality. Consider the doctor who must tell his patient that he has a brain tumor. Would we think it right for the doctor to remain silent about the tumor in order to preserve his patient's happiness? Is the patient's happiness more important than knowing the truth? Obviously not.
So, why, then, do we put such a high premium on happiness? Many other things are far more important, far more valuable, than being happy. Certainly, Christians ought to recognize this and reject the World's mad obsession with maximizing happiness and pursue instead God and His wisdom, holiness, truth and justice.
2 Timothy 3:12
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
1 Timothy 4:10
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
In God's economy, many things are much more important than happiness. First among these things is simply knowing Him. This is the basic reason you and I exist; we were made to know God. Often, however, we can be induced into a relationship with God only after we have been made to need Him. And creating this need in us, many times requires suffering. Myriad are the stories of Christians who came to faith in Christ only when they were in desperate straights, having exhausted all human resources and remedies. God knows that ease, and comfort, and happiness can be impediments to knowing Him and so He acts to remove these things from us and then, by discomfort, and difficulty, and suffering, He crowds us to Himself.
Outside of religion, too, the sacrifice of happiness for better, higher purposes has been necessary. Imagine if the millions of soldiers who entered the various theaters of wars in World War II had all just thrown down their guns and said, "No. I refuse to fight for freedom, and democracy, and to protect the innocent. My happiness is more important than all these things. I will not resist tyranny and oppression if it diminishes or threatens my happiness!" What a different - and horrendous - world we'd be living in today!
Our personal survival also sometimes depends upon our happiness being deflated by reality. Consider the doctor who must tell his patient that he has a brain tumor. Would we think it right for the doctor to remain silent about the tumor in order to preserve his patient's happiness? Is the patient's happiness more important than knowing the truth? Obviously not.
So, why, then, do we put such a high premium on happiness? Many other things are far more important, far more valuable, than being happy. Certainly, Christians ought to recognize this and reject the World's mad obsession with maximizing happiness and pursue instead God and His wisdom, holiness, truth and justice.
2 Timothy 3:12
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
1 Timothy 4:10
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
