I’ve made up my mind! I am determined to be happy!! Enough of this sadness. Away with all this discouragement. I’m finished with dejection, depression, and despondency. No more gloom and doom. I WILL be happy!

Now, what do I need to achieve my goal? If I am to be truly happy, I’ll need:

a.. Money – and plenty of it.
b.. And I must have friends – the kind that never fail, and always act just like I want.
c.. Of course, success is important; I will need to have unlimited success in every endeavor that I undertake to do.
d.. My family will have to behave perfectly, and respond immediately to my every whim.

Surely, with all of this, I can be happy. Right? WRONG!

The wise, powerful, famous, and wealthy king Solomon sought after happiness through every avenue known to man. The end result was “…vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.” (Eccl. 2:11).

Contrast Solomon with Paul, who lost his wealth, gave up his fame and power, and ultimately suffered extreme persecution and imprisonment. Yet he could write, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11). How could this be? Verse 13 explains; “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”.

It is on this basis that Paul instructs us: “Rejoice, in the Lord alway” (vs. 4). True happiness is not found in external “things”. It comes only from faithfully serving God (Eccl. 12:13, 14). Are you happy?

– by Greg Gwin