The Pursuit of Happiness: Joy in Christ

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.
-Declaration of Independence

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace & joy in the holy Spirit; whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by others.  Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another.
-Romans 14:17-19

On this Memorial Day, I reflect on the thousands of men and women who served our country in the military forces.  Each and every one is commended for their heroism, their dedication, and their love for our country.  They struggled on the frontlines against the enemy.  They worked long hours in sometimes unhospitable conditions.  These brave men and women fought for our country in order to protect freedom: Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. 

What is this pursuit of Happiness that our Forefathers speak of in our Declaration of Independence?  It's the idea of living in a free society absent of persecution and oppression.  Our Forefathers were brilliant in understanding the role of God, Creator, in providing us with precious unalienable rights that should never be used to turn one against another.  As St. Paul said in Romans: Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another.  Our soldiers on the front line understood the importance of peace, and they understood importance of working as a team in building up one another in strength and fortitude.

I see the pursuit of Happiness as becoming more secularized in American culture today.  Happiness is seen as a measure of materialistic wealth and over-consumption.  So many Americans falsely believe that a high paying job, an expensive car, nice clothes, and other displays of the uber wealth is happiness.  I know some of the poorest people who are genuinely happy.  Why are they happy?  Because they place God first in their lives!  They understand how the Holy Spirit can give and take "things" from us.  These people understand that pure joy in Christ aid in the pursuit of Happiness.  A stanza from a beautiful Morning Prayer Hymn sums it up:

Who takes the Lord becomes a spring of Joy for all the world in pain....

The world is definitely in pain right now with struggling economies, the breakdown of the family, war, oppression, poverty, environmental degradation, human rights violations, and a host of other evils.  This doesn't bring much joyful news or happiness.  However, praying to God, studying his Word, and seeking his consolations (and admonitions) in our everyday life can help us become happier with ourselves and others.  Wealth, materialism, and individualism aren't necessarily indicators of true happiness.  The Book of Sirach says differently:  Fear of the Lord warms the heart, giving gladness and joy and length of days. (Sir 1:10)

God Bless America, Land that I Love!

-J.