
I Want to Be Happy Too
The pursuit of happiness is a lifelong affair. It is a desire that quietly shapes our choices, rhythms, and dreams. Luckily, the world offers a plethora of things that promise happiness. A success at work, an exciting new travel, the rush of retail therapy. Pick your poison. Yet, every one of them carries an expiration date. And before long, we find ourselves back on the road chasing the next high. This pursuit becomes even more uphill when discouragement or loneliness sets in, and the remedy we once clung to loses its power. In those moments, the pit of despair feels deeper. Perhaps the problem is that we have been looking for the wrong thing. Happiness comes and goes with circumstance; it rises and falls with the season we are in. Joy, however, runs deeper. It is independent of what we hold or achieve. Take Paul, for instance. He penned words of rejoice and not of despair during imprisonment (Phil 4:4). His circumstances offered no cause for happiness, and yet his heart was joyful. Why? Because he anchored his joy in Christ. Paul could find comfort in His presence and the assurance of His promises, despite physical confinement. Likewise, even when the fig tree does not blossom, and the fields are barren, Habakkuk still declares, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.” (Hab 3:17-18). His words remind us that true joy is not born from what we have or lack, but in who God is and His unchanging faithfulness. The joy God bestows is independent of external circumstances. If you have yet found a source of joy that sticks with you through thick and thin, why not turn to our Heavenly Father? In Him, our joy will be lasting. And the cherry on top? It comes with an extra side of peace that is unlike anything this world can offer (John 14:27). Let’s take it one step further: seek joy not only in blessings, but even in tribulations. Because it is often in the darkest places that God’s joy shines the brightest. Don’t be too hard on yourself if seeking Him in life’s low moments does not come naturally yet. Because finding joy in life through Jesus is the work of a lifetime, and choosing to start today is never the wrong decision. I want to be joyful too. Do you?
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2 min read