Come on, get happy!

“Does following Jesus make me happy?”

That’s a pretty good question and my answer would be…

…how do you define happiness?

The Pursuit of Happiness

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.

These words come from the American Declaration of Independence. 

Not only did these words sow the seeds of a nation but also a worldview, and one that isn’t exclusively American.

The idea that we have a right to be alive, free, and, for our discussion, happy is pretty commonplace throughout the West.

But what do we mean by “happy?”

“Life” is clear, either you’re breathing or not.

“Liberty” is a little vague but in the context of the Declaration, it was freedom from tyrannical government.

But the pursuit of happiness?

What exactly do they mean by that?

The Opposite of Misery 

John Locke was an English philosopher and a major influence on the Declaration of Independence.

Here’s what he had to say about happiness:

Happiness then is in its full extent the utmost pleasure we are capable of, and Misery the utmost pain.

So happiness is the opposite of misery. Happiness is pleasure, as much pleasure as we can get.

That’s a good definition of the usual Western perception of happiness. “I can have what I want and feel good doing so. I’m not miserable.” 

After all, who wants to be miserable? 

So, then, does following Jesus ensure this kind of happiness?

Well… it depends.

It isn’t exactly black and white. There’s a lot of nuance at play, and we will get to that.

First, however, I’d like to challenge this notion of happiness.

Is it the be-all-end-all many make it out to be?

We’ll explore that tomorrow by taking a trip to the movies.

For now, be blessed.

Jon,

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