Will I Ever Be Happy?

By N. J. Lindquist:

How can I ever be happy?

Would you say you’re happy? If not, what would it take to make you happy?

A couple of years ago I was sitting in a friend’s kitchen drinking tea when she suddenly set down her cup and said, “You know, I thought when we bought this house, my life would be perfect. I have a family I love, a good job, more possessions than I ever dreamed of having, this wonderful house—so why am I still not happy?”

Like my friend, many of us think happiness means getting whatever we want—someone’s love, enough money, a new car, more friends, children, a career…. We believe that when our goal is fulfilled, we’ll be happy.

So we strive for the object of our desire.

If we don’t achieve it, we often become angry, feeling that the world and everyone in it is against us. Or we might just give up and develop a poverty mentality. Why try since we’ll never be good enough? We might even consider suicide because we feel there’s no hope for happiness.

But the ironic thing is that when we get what we thought we wanted, we frequently discover it’s not enough—we still aren’t happy! Look at my friend, who had everything she’d desired, but felt empty inside.

When my friend realized that having everything she wanted didn’t lead to happiness, she decided to try something different—she gave her heart, and the responsibility for her happiness, to God.

That happened over 20 years ago. Since that time, my friend has gone through many unexpected struggles—even losing some of the things she had—and has dealt with a lot of emotional pain. But despite that, she’s been at peace—even happy—because no matter what happens, God gives her the strength she needs to get through it.

Here’s a link to one of my favorite songs.  If you’re wondering, “Will I ever be happy?“  this may help reveal how you can find happiness, even in the midst of problems.

“Through it All” by Andrae Crouch

Want to know how to find God?  Visit GodTest.com.