Why aren't we happy? Maybe a better way to phrase the question is this: When we are not happy, why not? I think that the answer lies within a proper understanding of what makes people happy. Most people, sometimes even us, believe that happiness can only come from outside factors. If we only had more money, then we would be happy. If we only had the relationships we desire, even just one particular relationship, then we would be happy. If we only lived in the right place, had a better job, or even if we just felt better, then for sure we would be happy...

 

But that mindset is all wrong. It is not external factors that lead to true happiness, it is the internal factors - namely, or hearts! Consider the following:

 

He opens their ears to instruction and commands that they return from iniquity.

If they listen and serve Him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness.

Elihu, as quoted in Job 36:10-11, ESV

 

Do we see it? Happiness does not come from something that happens to us from the outside. If we want to live out our days in prosperity and pleasantness, then we must listen to what God says and then serve Him in that way. Moses said essentially the same thing just before he died:

 

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 11:13-15, NIV

 

Note that Moses, through inspiration, said in essence that the blessings we desire in life stem from serving God with all of our heart and soul, and this service is prompted by our love for the Lord our God. So, if Elihu revealed that prosperity and pleasantness are the result of listening to God and serving Him, and Moses said that all of our blessings that lead to satisfaction are the result of loving God and serving Him with all of our hearts and souls, we can only be left with this conclusion: True happiness does not just "happen" to us by some quirk of random outside factors. True happiness (flowing from things like prosperity, pleasantness and satisfaction) is a direct result of service to God. Further, the way we serve will be dictated by His terms because we listen to what He says and the we do what He says because we love Him with all our hearts.

 

So, why aren't we happy? It's nearly always because we are looking to be served, rather than to serve. When we do serve God in His way, then we will begin to serve others. In other words we will be looking how to please God and our fellow men, and this service will lead to our own peace and joy.

 

 

Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. Then the word of the LORD came to me:

“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?"

Ezekiel 14:1-3, NIV

 

A remark by a dear friend of many years got me to thinking. It was after the mid-week worship last night, and a group of us were talking about our favorite football teams. This particular person was a big fan of a certain football team (for reasons only they would understand) and was talking about how serious they were during each game. Then that person commented on how careful we need to be to make sure that our support for a team does not become an idol.

 

I thought a lot about that short conversation as I prepared for writing today's article. I suppose we are all "fans" of some favorite team or another, and sometimes our fanaticism gets out of hand and becomes an idol of the heart.

 

Let's explore that thought for a moment. This subject of idols has been one that mankind has struggled with from the beginning. The forbidden fruit had to be sampled, or so thought Adam and Eve at the time. Though they knew it was wrong, they placed their desire for a stupid piece of fruit over their devotion to God. Cain did the same thing when he placed his indignation towards his brother over God's instruction and over what should have been a love for his brother. His idol of the heart ended in murder!

 

We do the same thing, don't we? We know we should not view things that have evil content or wicked words, but we watch movies that sometimes border the edge of pornography, or that have foul language that includes even curses of our Lord's holy name. We go to worship sometimes, hardly being able to keep our thoughts off of the "big game" that was already played or that is about to be played. Millions of Christians took a break from God over the past few years for health concerns, only to watch their spiritual health decline to the point of being on life support.

 

How many people have yielded to temptation and peer pressure, not wanting to look foolish in the eyes of men, only to become fools in the eyes of God. And we haven't even mentioned money, perhaps the greatest idol men have ever made in their hearts. How many of us have become separated from God because of this idol's irresistible urges?

 

There are an infinite number of examples of such idols of the heart, but we see the point. We all struggle with it, but just acknowledging the sin is not enough: We have to do something about it. If the object that has become an idol within our heart is not sinful in its nature, then we can still have some dealings with it (in other words, you don't have to give up your bank accounts) but deal with it we must. And if our idols are "forbidden fruit" then we must put them off as thoroughly as we possibly can.

 

One last thought: In Ezekiel's time the Lord pointed out that such idol worshippers had no right to even consult Him. It's something to think about, for we can indeed lose the right to even pray if our idolatry is allowed to go too far. Therefore, it behooves us all to consider our own idols of our own hearts and do something about it. These "gods" can only cause our souls to be lost, so we must repent and turn back to the only God able to restore our souls to life eternal.

 

Do you have any idols of the heart?

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:40-42, ESV

 

Suppose you had a list of 20 things to do today, but only got one of them done. Would you consider your day to have been a success? Would others who were depending on you consider your accomplishments successful? The answer to both questions is probably not, but let's look at this topic from the perspective that Christ wants us to have for our life's "to do" list.

 

Imagine for a moment that your days in this world have come to an end. Perhaps you had lived a long life, but in the eyes of men you really hadn't accomplished anything "worthwhile". You had not achieved great success in business. Your relationships were not what others would consider impressive. You weren't a hero during the war. You hadn't made any "Who's Who" publications. In fact, when it came down to it, in the eyes of mankind and perhaps even in your own you really hadn't done anything which would be considered extraordinary or noteworthy.

 

But then, at the Judgment, you heard these words: "Well done, good and faithful servant." Would you now consider your life to have been a success? Reverse the results for a moment and consider this: If you had done all of those things that men and women admire but were not saved in the end, would your life had been a success? The answer is clearly, "No!"

 

In the passage above, Martha and Mary were entertaining Jesus in their home. It was a great honor as well as a great responsibility. Mary was doing what most would think was the most important. She was making the physical preparations for Jesus' meal. Mary on the other hand was just sitting there listening to Jesus talk, so Martha asked Him to intervene and have her lazy sister make herself useful. That's when Jesus told her that only one thing was needed and Mary had chosen it.

 

Now, the point of all of this is not to suggest that this is an either/or decision. We can still have proper, physical pursuits and I hope that you accomplish many wonderful and important things during your time here on earth. I hope you have goals in mind for these accomplishments, but the top of the list of these things on your "to do" list has to be the salvation of your eternal soul and the salvation of your loved ones. If you accomplish this, all of the other things really won't matter much. On the other hand, if you should be so accomplished as to live a life filled with physical achievements, but you and your loved ones are lost, then you have failed.

 

What is at the top of your list?

 

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33, ESV

 

We have a picture of our oldest daughter that was taken when she was about two. My wife had gone to check on her, probably because it was too quiet. You parents will understand. At first you are so delighted that the noise has stopped that you just enjoy the peace. But after a while you realize it is quiet... it is too quiet. Whatever the reason, Carolyn went to check on her and came upon a scene that we have both never forgotten. There was Cherise, with every one of her possessions removed from her toy box, just scattered all over the room, and Cherise sitting in the toy box looking over at her mama as if to say, "What?"

 

To this day no one knows what was going on in her two year-old mind. Was she looking for a favorite toy? Was she looking for any toy at all to play with only to find that there was not even one that interested her? Was she planning on closing the toy box lid behind her for a bit of privacy? We don't know, but the scene was so delightfully typical of the random mind of a toddler that Carolyn (an artist extraordinaire) drew the picture that it might be enjoyed for generations to come.

 

There is something in that picture that reminds me of me. There are times when I am surrounded by anything my heart could desire, but I am not satisfied. We all get that way from time to time and, when we do, we need a reset. King Solomon wrote of this very state of mind in Ecclesiastes. He was the richest and most powerful man in the world, but he was not happy. So he set out to find out what would make him happy. He drank a lot of wine, but that did not do it. He married a lot of beautiful women, but that wasn't the key. He sought out entertainment and undertook great projects. In fact, he did everything he could to find happiness only to conclude that it was all meaningless.

 

That was when he discovered one life's most important truths. What was this truth, you may be wondering? We don't have to wonder, for God inspired him to record it. Here is the secret to happiness in his own words:

Every man also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and find enjoyment in his toil--this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:19-20, RSV

 

The secret to happiness has never been a secret. When we put God first, we are then free to enjoy His many blessings. When we do, God keeps us occupied with the gladness of our hearts! Are you occupied with the gladness of your heart? Or are you like a two year old with a box full of toys, but still can't find a single one to suit you?

 

You see, we all have incredible blessings from God. The very fact that he created a world filled with such variety and beauty should prove to us that He has designed us to be happy, not unhappy. But if we should ever come to the point that we examine everything around us and become discontented, perhaps we should pause for a moment and consider why. I think we will all find out when we are so unsatisfied it is because we have failed to put God first. Further, we have failed to be thankful for all that He has given us. 

 

We all have the opportunity to enjoy eternal life in Heaven with God and Christ, if we will just accept Their terms. If we will, then we are going to Heaven. If that is not enough, they give us all sorts of things to keep us occupied with the gladness of our hearts until then. Isn't God good!