Articles
In Pursuit
The Declaration of Independence, one of the founding documents of this country, began by stating boldly, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The declaration stated that there were certain God-given rights that cannot be taken away, and named as some of those rights "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." I don't think the Founding Fathers anticipated how those words would be interpreted 200+ years later, but it seems now that a good portion of our society lives as if the pursuit of happiness is not only a God-given right [or at least to the few who still acknowledge there is a God], but the foundational right of every human being and, for many, our sole purpose in life!
Many in this country have come to believe that the pursuit of happiness is our reason for existence, and demonstrate this by constantly looking for the next 'new thing' to make them happy. Unrecognized by many of these same pleasure- and happiness-seekers is the fact an entire industry exists whose business it is to convince their audience they are not happy, or that they shouldn't be. Also unrecognized [or at least not admitted] is the fact many political leaders, and many who desire to be, are also intent on convincing a majority of the populace that they, too, are unhappy, or should be, and that they [of course] will be the ones to correct that great injustice!
What is overlooked or even ignored in the race of this endless pursuit of happiness is the simple fact of the matter that, as long as happiness is the pursuit, it will never be achieved. A wise man wrote long ago, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?” (Eccl. 5:10, 11). You see, the man who loves silver isn't happy when he gets it, because possessing silver or any other material thing isn't what makes anyone happy — not really. Many men who thought so found out only after obtaining their desired possessions that happiness did not come with the possession! And, beyond this, the reality of life is, any earthly treasure can be destroyed, lost, or stolen (cf. Matt. 6:19) and, in the end, we leave it all for someone else (Eccl. 2:18, 19). At best, the 'happiness' is temporary!
Our spiritual adversary, the devil, is quite the schemer; he is the one behind the campaign to convince mankind he is [or should be] perpetually unhappy with what he has, who he is, where he lives, what he wears, the weather, the work he does, the people who are his neighbors, the people who are not his neighbors, his spouse, his children, his parents, his extended family, his car, the size of his house or its location, the church with whom he worships, the preacher, the elders, the song leader, the Bible class teacher, and on and on and on until he is convinced that he is happy about nothing and no one and needs to pursue that elusive happiness by some other means or in some other location.
You see, as long as our spiritual adversary keeps us busy with this endless pursuit for something he is working so hard to make impossible, we won't be thinking about the very things that are obtainable, and of much greater importance. While he is busy and working hard to keep us believing that we should be 'happy,' we will never learn to be content.
As people of God and followers of Jesus Christ, we must be aware of our enemy's devices (cf. 2 Cor. 2:11), and these are ones we must recognize; discontent and unhappiness are some of his most successful weapons! He would rather we forget the admonition of our Father, who has said, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5). You see, unhappiness with the amount of our material possessions is something our spiritual adversary wants because he knows that, at its heart, this demonstrates a lack of trust in our Father to provide our daily needs. He convinces us we need to take things into our own hands if it is ever going to happen, and that God doesn't want us to be happy. [Remember his lie in the garden?]
And let me address this to parents for a minute: Stop and think about the example you are setting for your children when you constantly demonstrate a life of unhappiness and discontent. What are you teaching them when you are flitting about, constantly seeking something or someone to 'make you happy'? What if they see you move from job to job to job because you are 'not happy'? What are you teaching them when you move from one house to another, and live there only long enough to get it just right and then begin anew in your endless pursuit of another one to 'make you happy' because this one is now 'boring'? What are you teaching them when you start looking for someone different to 'make you happy'? What if they see you jump from one church to another, constantly finding reasons why you are unhappy or discontented with each one? What are they learning from this?
What they are learning is that life is all about "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," when you should have been teaching them that life is all about fearing God and keeping His commandments (Eccl. 12:13). And — don't fool yourself — when your life shows them you are discontented and unhappy with everything about that life, they will begin to associate your spiritual life and faith with that discontent and unhappiness! Parents, what are you teaching your children?
Let us be reminded of the wise writer's blunt warning: “He who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense” (Prov. 12:11; ESV). Let us not be foolish in our pursuits, but pursue the things worthwhile — things of infinitely more value than any earthly possession. Let us get out of the rat race of constant happiness-seeking and let us seek real, true, and lasting joy, instead. Consider:
Learn To Be Content. The apostle Paul once wrote, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Phil. 4:11). If Paul had to learn that, we should not feel like a failure if we also need to learn it. But learn it!
Pursue Peace and Holiness. (Heb. 12:14) Knowing we won't see the Lord without this should be motivation enough, but also think about the example you will be setting for others, including your children!
Pursue Righteousness. (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22) Twice, the apostle Paul urged Timothy to pursue righteousness, and that should not be overlooked in its importance to those who seek to please the Lord. Since the grace of God teaches us that we should be living righteously (Titus 2:11, 12), we would do well to pursue it!
Pursue Love. (1 Cor. 13:13-14:1) Paul enumerated the attributes of love and then noted that out of faith, hope, and love, love was the greatest, and then stated simply, “Pursue love.” Does anything else need to be said?
The very word pursue implies urgency and a strong desire to obtain. Let us then pursue the right things and, in so doing, we might just find that we will have achieved everlasting joy. — Steven Harper
