Pursuit of Happiness

Often times, we find ourselves trying to answer the question, "what else?" It varies in form but boils down to the same thing: the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, the pursuit of happiness is like the American Dream. The manifestation and theory are unequivocal. 

The theory driving the American Dream is themed worship of creation versus the Creator. When we take the emphasis off the Creator and instead worship creation, in a broad spectrum sense, we fail ourselves the American Dream. The dream stays a theory, a wish list, a hyperbole. This demands the constant pursuit of what we cannot attain. Similar to the pursuit of happiness, it is unending and dependent on external circumstances.

These external circumstances differ in form but share a commonality: frugality or fleetingness (Ecc. 1, 3). There is no inner-contentedness when we choose to pursue happiness because the immediate value of that emotion depends on what we cannot control. 

1 John 2:15-17 nails this down when it states, do not be "in this world" but rather "of this world". Some may ask what's the difference. The difference is freeing. When we fail to recognize living in bondage doesn't necessitate actual slavery, we live in bondage to the world. This may be "lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life".

Romans 12:2 also speaks to this pattern. In fact, Paul refers to this as a pattern when he writes, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The renewing of your mind is a habit; in order to be the most effective, it requires practice. Sometimes this practice may even include glory in our sufferings, but in this we rejoice, for we know that our faith is credited as righteousness (Romans 4:5, 5:3-4). Simultaneously, the Lord calls us to rejoice in our sufferings so that we may share in His Son's glory, being co-heirs with Christ (James 1:2-4; Romans 8:17). In this same way, for how we value physical training, we contend training in godliness as more and inasmuch "we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God" (1 Tim. 4:8, 10).

Therefore, I contend to answer the question "who else" instead of "what else". Ultimately, this means choosing joy versus happiness. The contrast between the two meaning joy is a filling of the Holy Spirit. Its focus is on the literal Creator versus creation. This frees us from the bondage of the world and places a healthy reverence on our Heavenly Father. For if we care about something dearly, how much more does our Father in heaven care about it for us? Whereas the pursuit of happiness values the world, the pursuit of joy values the spirit and assures us of our hope in the future. How much more assuring is it to live in faithful confidence versus passings-by of the daily grind?