“There is a whole world of difference between those who look only for their own happiness in this world and those who know their true happiness lies in the will of God.”
― Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman
Pick up your phone and scroll through TikTok or IG for 5 minutes (unless you’ve already done that 15 times today 🥴). What do you see?
You see a bunch of people promoting themselves and their ideas of how to be happy and successful in life. You see so many people living “perfect” lives, and God is mentioned along with some catchy “Christianese” as just a way to post another selfie.
Ps: Someone sent me a picture of myself using a filter, and I didn’t even recognize that it was me… So ridiculous.
What is wrong with this picture?
Everyone is selling something; a lifestyle, an opinion, a product, an image, or an idea. And the majority of it is all a lie.
“If you look like me, you’ll be happy. If you do it as I did it, you can be happy. If you learn from me, you can be happy. If you have what I have, you can be happy.”
Does God’s goal for our lives have anything to do with happiness?
I have had this hard lesson in life many times over: God is not interested in my happiness. He is interested in my holiness and ME obeying HIS WILL. Holiness can produce happiness, but happiness is not the goal.
In fact, I have suffered a lot in life with situations entirely out of my control, in HIS control, and I am convinced He is more than willing to allow me to suffer for the greater good. That’s a hard thing to digest.
Why? He has my growth and purity in mind. He has others’ salvation and revelation of HIMSELF in mind. My suffering? It’s petty in comparison to the greater good.
And how can gold be refined without heat? How can diamonds be made without pressure? They cannot. It takes being unhappy, uncomfortable, and sometimes downright miserable while in the crucible of life: but you are purified in the process.
We are promised suffering if we are following Jesus:
For example, Acts 14:22 says that Paul told all his young churches, “Through many tribulations, we must enter the kingdom.”
And Jesus said, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you” (John 15:20).
And Peter said, “Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).
And Paul said (in 2 Timothy 3:12), “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
In other words, it is not strange; it is to be expected.
He wants us to learn that only in HIM will we find what our hearts ache for. In HIM, we will find inner peace and happiness. And sometimes, he must separate us from all we love, serve, worship, and prioritize above Him for us to see that.
I have come to realize the secret to living the most fulfilled and “happy” life indeed lies in God’s will.
I have filled my life with so many attempts to be happy. From living a life of rebellion before I was saved, to consuming my life in marriage & children, to spending all my money, and moving across the country, changing jobs, and trying out new hobbies…
And I have battled unhappiness in each and every one of those places in my life. But, unfortunately, none of them was the answer. Nothing I have tried brought me a sense of peace, fulfillment, and happiness.
The only time I have felt peace in my life is when I spend my life focused on God’s will and purpose for me. I let it slide at times, and unhappiness creeps right back in. But when I am surrendered and living my life for others, for the gospel, for the cause of Christ, true, inner happiness from the Lord can’t be stolen with life’s circumstances.
“There is a whole world of difference between those who look only for their own happiness in this world and those who know their true happiness lies in the will of God.”
― Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman
I love this quote by Elizabeth Elliott because there really is a world of difference between these two kinds of people. And those who embrace this secret will go further and do more with their lives for Jesus than you could ever imagine or dream up on your own.
Sure, we all have goals, hopes, dreams, wants, and desires, and with this New Year beginning, you are counting on doing bigger and better things than ever before! But be sure to re-examine your heart’s motives, and your life. Don’t fool yourself.
You can smash all of the goals you have set for yourself and still feel empty and defeated if you have not lived a surrendered life to GOD’s WILL.
Discover this secret: your true happiness lies in the will of God. And that will never, ever change.
Don’t sell out on anything less!! God bless you, and go girl!!