"Happiness?" - To

 "I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life." (Ecclesiastes 2:3 KJV)

  "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NLT)

 Whatever you feel, if happiness is what you long for, it doesn't last! You can be happy in the moment, but within an instant, you can say goodby to happiness, by just being let down or put into a bad situation. I remember something Pastor Chuck said, something like this: "I can make you happy by giving you a check; until you go to cash it, and your happiness will be gone!" 

 If there was some other way to say it, it is like David says in Psalm 32, explaining the difference between holding onto joy, yet at the same time, losing all gladness, with just a little unconfessed sin! You get joy from the Lord, who forgives and cleanses you of all your sins; but you bring the sadness upon yourself when you refuse to confess your sins! 

 God gives joy, we manifest happiness; His joy is true and remains, but our happiness is temporary and base upon what we feel, where we are at, and how our life is going. This is why those who know and live in the joy of the Lord, truly say: "Count it all joy when you are going through tribulations!" 

 On a different note: Solomon is also speaking about getting lost in a little drunkenness! Which, as I said before, it seems to be the way some people try to find happiness lately. If ever there was an absolute negative approach to finding happiness, temporary amnesia is one that will do it! If you don't remember what you did the night before, how sad is that! 

 Having grown up in a home where drunkenness was a normal assurance, I can tell you from experience, a happy life is not what you experience when stuff is being broken and your parents are threatening to kill each other! I had a lock on the outside of my bedroom door, but I wished that it was on the inside!  

 If you don't think you are experiencing the joy of the Lord, then you need to start confessing your sins! Make sure that you thank Him for forgiving you and set your heart towards obedience to all that He tells you to do. When you can do the little things, you will find He gives you bigger things that will make you happy...

 "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refuse to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

 "Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

 "Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude

 "The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control." Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!" (PSALM 32 NLT)