How to Be Happy

Happiness is something that most people today are seeking. In fact, happiness is so much a part of the American mindset that it is actually included in our Declaration of Independence, which says, “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.”

But what is this happiness that so many Americans are pursuing? Philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” I believe there is truth in that statement. You can actually become a very unhappy person as you attempt to become a happy one. Someone else once wrote, “There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it.”

But the Bible gives a completely different view of happiness than this world provides. According to Scripture, happiness is never something that should be sought directly; it is the result of seeking something else. If we seek holiness, we will find happiness. To be happy or blessed is not based on circumstances. It is a deep supernatural experience of contentedness based on the fact that one’s life is right with God.