The Definition of Happiness

Daddy, daughter

For Father’s Day, I took my dad on a daddy-daughter date. My dad was a full-time preacher when I was growing up, so we spent a lot of time together before I was enrolled in school. He took me everywhere, and I tagged along for everything. When I got married, my husband filled the role as the man in my life, but I am still very close to my dad (and mom!). That being said, I don’t get a lot of alone time with my dad like we had when I was a kid, so I took him on a coffee date. We had so much fun chatting, catching up and drinking GOOD coffee from a local coffee shop. I was on cloud 9 after spending time with my dad and having his attention solely on me. I just know this mirrors the happiness we are capable of after spending time with our Heavenly Father and having his loving attention on us.

Part of my family

This got me thinking about happiness. What brings happiness? What defines happiness for each individual? Can we ever truly be happy? What brings happiness that cannot be stolen? If I were to define what happiness, I’d say I feel most fulfilled when I’m living for my purpose, strengthening relationships and spending time with my husband. I think that if I had nothing else, that I’d still be happy with God, family, friends and my husband. My relationship with God fills me up and my relationship with people is where I pour it out. In that process, I feel joy.

I looked up happiness in the Bible, and I wasn’t surprised to find that it says our happiness comes from God. Our joy cannot rest on things of this world that are easily taken away; our joy can only be found when our gaze is on Him and we value the relationship we have with Him. THINGS of this world are constantly changing, being taken away or being broken, so when our happiness hinges on those things, our emotions are decided by what we have and what we don’t have. We end up being ecstatic when we get things and heartbroken when we don’t. It’s a constant roller coaster of ups and downs that depend on items or goals that we attain. There’s one thing that has NEVER changed: God’s love. His love has been present since the beginning of time, and everything he does is in love. If our happiness is dependent on his love, we will never be disappointed. We will never be taken on a roller coaster of ups and downs with his love; his love is always the same, always surrounds us, and is always being offered. If His love is what defines you, the loss or gain of items or goals cannot decide your emotions. Your ultimate security comes from the foundation of love in your life. This foundation of love creates a knowing in your heart of God’s character – a knowing that he is good and everything he does is for good. Sure, unfortunate events are bound to happen, but with His love, you will be carried through to a better place. Maybe we don’t understand the events, but when you’re looking at Him and He’s covering you in love, the “why” of the event falls away and the “wow” of God’s glory washes over you. His glory shines brighter than all our problems. His glory brings joy.

Psalm 37:4-9 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper – it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.”

On His glory and hard times…

Romans 5:2-5 “Because of our faith, Christ hasbrought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

Now we know how the Bible defines happiness, so how would you define happiness? What brings you ultimate joy? Ponder and pray about these questions, and ask yourself if God is being glorified in your pursuit of happiness. If He is, I think you’re on the right track. If He’s not, you might ask him what would glorify His name in your life, and then do it! Trust me, you’ll find happiness there.