Happiness

I used to think I’d be happier if I could be really rich and successful.

And there is a bit of truth to that. As we gained some wealth, certain difficulties did go away and we were happier.

But not actually happier. More like… less unhappy.

I had space to thrive but I wasn’t thriving.

I thought if I got my circumstances just so, things would be better.

And they were, but… I wasn’t happy. In fact, as I had less to strive after, I got less and less happy.

“I thought all these things were going to fix my life”

They didn’t.

And I was worse off because I didn’t have the lie to tell myself, and the anticipation that when I “made it”, things would be better.

But I also wasn’t worse off, because I could see what the truth was more clearly.

All of the striving is just a distraction. The real work is inside.

Everything you need to be happy is given to you when you’re created.

And that includes God. He has a little spot in your soul, where you can be with Him.

The real journey is clearing away what keeps you from connecting to Him.

You’re not unhappy because your circumstances are terrible. That might even make it easier to be happy.

You’re unhappy because your mind and heart are pointing in the wrong direction.

You’re looking for the world to make you happy. Only God can.

And God is already with you.

You could have been happy all along.