Pursuit of happiness? | Finding Joy in Christ

Have you watched the movie Pursuit of Happyness? It is about this one guy, (will smith) who chases his dream job. He does everything he can, all sacrifices he can make in order to achieve his happiness. I haven't watched this movie though, but by looking at the reaction of my uncle after he watched it, I don't think it was a good movie. This is what he said, "That's it!? ugh!"

Now, I read the plot summary to know enough. Well it might be a good drama movie, because, he was poor then overcame a lot of struggles to attain a good job, which is his happiness. A very good turn of events. He was homeless, but now he can afford to buy his child a proper meal.

I am not to rob you of happiness, but I am writing this in order to strengthen (my) your faith in God and redefine our worship of God.

Excitement

Do you remember your first time of things? Your first time driving a motorcycle, or a car? Then your first time driving out in the highways, enjoying the road and a long drive. Your first "Hi" from your crush perhaps?

Do you also remember your first time hearing the Gospel? Your first time singing for God? Or your first "moment" with God where you probably cried and prayed to Him? Do you remember the times you felt "happy" when you were in the church, or God-related events?
Do you feel excited every saturday that "tomorrow is sunday!" or you have a sad tone while asking "tomorrow is sunday!?"

Nonetheless, our excitement tells has somehow an effect if we are happy or not in the church, or with God.

Happiness

We all want to be happy. Even villains want to be happy. (From some of the manga stories i've read, hehe) Either they were robbed of happiness or they seek happiness because it was not given to them. They wreak havoc to give pain to all people who are happy in order for them to be the same as him.

Anyway, we all want to be happy, we want to get what gives us happiness, we want to live a happy and prosperous life. We want to fill our emptiness with things that makes us happy, and supposedly fill that empty space in our hearts.

There was even a time when I longed for happiness in the church. I went to find happiness in other church events of which I cannot gain from our own church. There were times where I did not want to sing during congregational singing or choir and choir practices. It became a mundane task for me to do. That is because I cannot find happiness based on what I want.

The problem with "happiness" in the church, or most importantly, in our faith, is that it becomes "just a feeling." What if the happiness I gained in the church fades away, what will I do? What if our excitement of going to church is gone when the people we hang out with are also gone? What if there are no events, activities and programs in the church, will you still be happy? What if you face trouble, struggles or trials, will you keep the faith?

This scenario is summed up in the parable of the sower, found in Matthew 13:18-23.

20: The seed on the rocky soil represents those who 

hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 

21: But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. 

They fall away as soon as they have problems 

or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

Now, think. Are you in just for the happiness?

How can I attain Joy?

There is a story where Jesus talked to a woman who married and re-married in search for happiness that she thought could be found in men. Her thirst for happiness lead her to remarry, that she avoids contact with other women because of her social status. Jesus said that this thirst is unending, and what she needs is the Living Water. This could be found in John 4:7-15.

Now, most of the time Happiness is equaled with Joy. And a lot of sermons or lessons claim that Joy is different from Happiness. Happiness, defined, is a state of well-being and contentment : joy. Different from biblical joy which can be defined as true contentment that comes from internal factors like our faith in the Lord.

If I, like the Samaritan woman, in John 4:7-15 continued to search for happiness in other churches that I can't find in our church, I am clinging to a false "joy" that I think will fill up the emptiness within me. Then what if, I found happiness in another church, what now if my happiness there dries up? I'll go look for another church again? It's a good thing that I can't leave our church because my dad was the Pastor there. 

And another thing to remember, you might complain that your church is small, or boring, then you plan to leave it. Then, the more it will be smaller and still be boring. A challenge would probably be, what can you do for the church? Anyway, the last statement is deadly and still dangerous, because it seeks "happiness" instead of biblical joy. 

To attain joy, we renew our minds. Change our perspectives and outlook in life. Change the selfishness of happiness, and look unto Jesus. Our focus should be on Jesus, and not ourselves. If we want to be happy, we look to ourselves and fulfill whatever things that may make us happy (for a short period of time). But, if we want Joy, we look to Jesus and fulfill what glorifies Him.

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice!"

Philippians 4:4

Biblical Joy is the deep, abiding joy that comes as we persevere through trials, with God’s help, and our faith matures and is strengthened. So happiness tends to be fleeting and depends upon temporal factors like circumstances or other people. 

So the Bible teaches that happiness is fleeting because it often depends on things outside of ourselves, but true joy is eternal because it is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ, which is itself an everlasting source of joy.[Joy or Happiness?]