A Note on Happiness

I sit at the desk in the loft typing this with a half drank coffee, the flicker of a candle, & music in my headphones. Lately, I have been ruminating on this idea of happiness. Our culture shouts at you, telling you to make that the central reason you do anything. And while the Christian life is full of sacrifices and death to self, God does still desire us to enjoy life, to enjoy him. When a friend read this one night I realized how engrained it is in me to think suffering/serving equals righteousness – “We tend to measure the worth of an act by the depth of pain and sacrifice we endure to perform it. Doing something because we enjoy doing it seems to empty the deed of its moral worth.” The author goes on to argue that happiness is a good, Godly thing. It’s the motive and the passion, the path and reason behind the pursuit of happiness that matters. Really, happiness is a gift that our Heavenly Father has given us.

God created countless things to prove that He wants us to enjoy life, least of which are the physical 5 senses. Just think for a minute – humans don’t necessarily need all these wonderful stimuli. We don’t have to taste to survive, yet He gifted it to us as something to enjoy. We get to feel and touch everything from textures to people. Physically love those around us through a hug or back rubs. We get to hear sounds of nature, birds in the trees and wind wrapping around them like ribbon. Sounds of laughter and fellowship. We get to see colors, smiles, sunsets, and beauty. We get to taste lovely food, from a delicious breakfast with coffee to a juicy steak with red wine in the evening. We get to smell wonderful scents like lilacs in spring and a fresh apple in the fall.

Perhaps to you this seems a bit flowery or repetitive, but that’s kind of the point. We don’t take the time in our productivity and hustle driven society to sit and think about these things. We go day to day vacuuming, cleaning, raising kids, doing the dishes, running errands, without feeling. Without stopping to think just how wonderful the seemingly small things truly are. It has created a numb generation. Being so busy that we don’t just do one thing at a time, nor relishing in the enjoyment of it. And I believe that in the Christian community at large there is this over reaction to think that happiness is wrong. John Piper said, “the bottom line of happiness is that we are granted to see the infinite beauty of God and make much of him forever.”

So today, and every day, my focus shifts to enjoying this wonderful life without any guilt. Leaving my phone on the counter to be full engaged in Ana’s play-do creations. Playing with Eden, tickling her as she belly laughs. Intentionally having better conversations with Jonathan. Creating dishes that aren’t made for survival but pleasure. The list could go on, so I’ll spare you. May this inspire you to glorify God and enjoy Him forever- starting now.