Have you ever heard someone say,"I just want them to be happy?" Maybe you have heard,"What ever makes them happy!" Happiness is a feeling that comes and goes at times minute by minute. Happiness changes from day to day. I have even said,"I want my children to be happy." After thinking, after prayer, God has shown me that's not what I need to be praying for. Just because something or someone makes you happy doesn't nessesarily mean great things. A drunk is happy when he has a bottle in his hands, a shopper is happy when she can whip out that credit card, but once that bottle is gone, was your credit limit is gone your happiness leaves with it. Just as if you give your child a phone to make them happy, is it good that they text 1,000 times a day? If my husband wants a brand new truck to make him happy, and we cannot pay for it, is that really something lasting? There are those who are sexually active with many different people, or even just one before marriage, that brings them happiness for awhile, but that happiness is destroying them inside and out, only to find that out later. The man who goes to the boat to gamble, has his pockets full of money that is for his house payment, goes in happy as he begins to win, but when he has walked out without any reward, knowing he now has to tell his wife they are going to lose their home, his happiness is gone. There are many things that we think will bring us happiness, but it is not lasting, and just because it makes us smile, or makes us feel good, doesn't mean it is good for us. When the addict has all their pills they too are happy, those pills bring them happiness for awhile, but without them is he finding happiness? No. The things of this world do not bring us happiness. I see so many people telling others they are happy for them, when that is not what God would want for His children. We should be praying that our children find real joy, real peace and a life full of blessings from Christ, not the things that will give them happiness. Satan has tricked us into thinking we just need to be happy, and its those very things that will destroy us slowly over time and take us farther away from Christ. I no longer pray for my children's happiness, I pray that they will find joy in the Lord, open their hearts and eyes to all He has for them, and not to be distracted by the world's view of happiness. Whether it is a new purse, a new pair of shoes, a house, a buying spree, drugs, sex, you fill in the blank of what your drug of happiness is, is it really worth it? When we are feeling happy, it is like being on a drug, and once that feeling is gone, we are looking for it elsewhere. Just as when a woman cheats on her husband, or he is looking outside the marriage for what he calls happiness, what is really happening? They are trying to fill a void inside, they are trying to keep that high going, and when it doesn't happen they seek to find other ways to bring that feeling back. When really they are trying to find a way of their pain in many cases, they are trying to avoid the real matter. We have to come face to face with if what we are looking for is a need or a want, and is it what God would have for us? If it is not what God would have for us, then it isn't real joy, it is a feeling that will go from high to low, it can happen in a matter of moments. Your child is on their way to a party, you tell them, have a happy time! Well, if there is beer there, maybe drugs, even sex, should we be telling them to have a happy time? We have gotten so off track, we are allowing our children to do whatever they desire to bring them happiness, when in reality they are destroying themselves. We should be seeking joy from the Lord, and He sends joy that fills your heart with pure things, not the things of this world. Satan is going from person to person to destroy them, he sends out these small things that seems to bring a feeling of happiness to pull us away from our family, from our church, and from Christ. May we seek true joy today, not earthy happiness. Those changes do not happen over night, but with Christ He can show us joy and how to get there, and it may mean leaving behind the life you have set before you, it may mean changes in your behavior. What all have you given up for your happiness? Lets stop giving away, and begin gaining joy from our Savior who knows His plan for us, knows just where we need to be today and what we need to leave behind in order to find Him~ Romans 15:13 " Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Friday, October 23, 2009
happiness or joy?
Have you ever heard someone say,"I just want them to be happy?" Maybe you have heard,"What ever makes them happy!" Happiness is a feeling that comes and goes at times minute by minute. Happiness changes from day to day. I have even said,"I want my children to be happy." After thinking, after prayer, God has shown me that's not what I need to be praying for. Just because something or someone makes you happy doesn't nessesarily mean great things. A drunk is happy when he has a bottle in his hands, a shopper is happy when she can whip out that credit card, but once that bottle is gone, was your credit limit is gone your happiness leaves with it. Just as if you give your child a phone to make them happy, is it good that they text 1,000 times a day? If my husband wants a brand new truck to make him happy, and we cannot pay for it, is that really something lasting? There are those who are sexually active with many different people, or even just one before marriage, that brings them happiness for awhile, but that happiness is destroying them inside and out, only to find that out later. The man who goes to the boat to gamble, has his pockets full of money that is for his house payment, goes in happy as he begins to win, but when he has walked out without any reward, knowing he now has to tell his wife they are going to lose their home, his happiness is gone. There are many things that we think will bring us happiness, but it is not lasting, and just because it makes us smile, or makes us feel good, doesn't mean it is good for us. When the addict has all their pills they too are happy, those pills bring them happiness for awhile, but without them is he finding happiness? No. The things of this world do not bring us happiness. I see so many people telling others they are happy for them, when that is not what God would want for His children. We should be praying that our children find real joy, real peace and a life full of blessings from Christ, not the things that will give them happiness. Satan has tricked us into thinking we just need to be happy, and its those very things that will destroy us slowly over time and take us farther away from Christ. I no longer pray for my children's happiness, I pray that they will find joy in the Lord, open their hearts and eyes to all He has for them, and not to be distracted by the world's view of happiness. Whether it is a new purse, a new pair of shoes, a house, a buying spree, drugs, sex, you fill in the blank of what your drug of happiness is, is it really worth it? When we are feeling happy, it is like being on a drug, and once that feeling is gone, we are looking for it elsewhere. Just as when a woman cheats on her husband, or he is looking outside the marriage for what he calls happiness, what is really happening? They are trying to fill a void inside, they are trying to keep that high going, and when it doesn't happen they seek to find other ways to bring that feeling back. When really they are trying to find a way of their pain in many cases, they are trying to avoid the real matter. We have to come face to face with if what we are looking for is a need or a want, and is it what God would have for us? If it is not what God would have for us, then it isn't real joy, it is a feeling that will go from high to low, it can happen in a matter of moments. Your child is on their way to a party, you tell them, have a happy time! Well, if there is beer there, maybe drugs, even sex, should we be telling them to have a happy time? We have gotten so off track, we are allowing our children to do whatever they desire to bring them happiness, when in reality they are destroying themselves. We should be seeking joy from the Lord, and He sends joy that fills your heart with pure things, not the things of this world. Satan is going from person to person to destroy them, he sends out these small things that seems to bring a feeling of happiness to pull us away from our family, from our church, and from Christ. May we seek true joy today, not earthy happiness. Those changes do not happen over night, but with Christ He can show us joy and how to get there, and it may mean leaving behind the life you have set before you, it may mean changes in your behavior. What all have you given up for your happiness? Lets stop giving away, and begin gaining joy from our Savior who knows His plan for us, knows just where we need to be today and what we need to leave behind in order to find Him~ Romans 15:13 " Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
