The Happiness Deception

Freedom to pursue life, liberty and anything that makes me happy.

Isn't that right? After all we're Americans and personal happiness is our highest goal. Or so it often seems.

Unfortunately the Church in America has bought into the lie that God's highest goal is for us to be happy.

"God would want me to have this, after all, it's what I want, it will make me happy and He is my father who loves me, right?"  ~A common line of reasoning when we're trying to justify our desires.

The truth is, God's highest goal for us is to be mature, holy, obedient, spiritual adults. His desire is for us to grow out of immature selfishness and into selfless love.

Sacrifice is better for us than indulgence.

It is true that He's our Father, but He doesn't want us to be perpetual infants.

Many soldiers have sacrificed to give us freedom in this country. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice to give us freedom from sin and eternal destruction.

Plants offer a great example, when they grow to maturity they give of themselves. An obvious example is a fruit tree, when it matures it bears fruit for us to pick and be nourished. But even weeds give of themselves. For example, Dandelions are full of nutrition and a tea of nettles can offer help against allergies.

Let us stop searching for opportunities to treat ourselves.

Let us search for opportunities to give of ourselves.