The Myth of Happiness

What is happiness? I watched a movie staring Will Smith a while back that showed a man who was apparently in pursuit of happiness (spelled "Happyness" in the movie title.) It was an inspiring and tough movie with tear-jerker appeal. However, the man was not very happy until the very end of the movie. A case could be made that the man was not happy at all until he got what he wanted. But, isn't that the definition of the world's view of happiness?

Is happiness good fortune after a lifetime of disappointment and hurt? Is happiness finally getting what you wanted after wading through a lifetime of being stepped on? Is happiness a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction that seems from a good experience? Is happiness getting to experience the American Dream (which often starts as a nightmare)? Or, is there more?

I submit that happiness is a fleeting, illusive, and temporary feeling that should not be the target of one's pursuit. Happiness is a great feeling. But, pursuing a life filled with a good feeling is like trying to nail Jello to a tree. It is impossible to fully attain. Living a life in pursuit of happiness will only lead a person to a life filled with sadness, disappointment, and frustration.

So, what should we strive for and pursue? My answer is joy. But, what is joy? Joy is not a feeling of excitement. Joy is a mindset of contentment in any and all circumstances. If the pursuit of happiness is likened to nailing Jello to a tree, the pursuit of joy is like taking hold of a rail. Joy is found when you grasp onto something that is firm and solid. Joy can be found in the most dire of circumstances. Joy does not come from circumstantial good fortune, but it comes from an internal relationship.

Joy is not found merely by attaining a well-paid job. Joy is not found merely by taking the next financial ladder step. Joy is not found by merely accomplishing life-long dreams. Joy is found in knowing that 1) stuff is temporary, 2) life is eternal, 3) the most important aspect of pain and excitement is your response to it, and 4) the biggest things in life are taken care of by someone else.

I am not interested in another "pull yourself up by the boot straps," "rags to riches," "self-made man" story of happiness. I am interested in a relationship that allows me to be mended even when I am broken, content in the midst of pain and suffering, and joyful whether I am at the peak of my health or facing death. The excitement and joy of my story comes from the fact that the God I serve, not my own actions, makes it possible for me to live a different life.