Communicated Happiness

The wish I hear most parents say they want for their children is happiness. It makes me sad really, because so often they don’t know what they are talking about. They haven’t thought about true happiness themselves, so they don’t know how to offer it to their children. And so in pursuit of happiness, families are really chasing favorable circumstances. Of course, true happiness is a joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances. If our happiness depends on a favorable situation, then we will be more anxious than happy. No person, job, education, neighborhood, vacation, house, or car can truly fulfill me. True joy comes from a heart right with God, no matter what our circumstances. As Augustine said in The City of God, “For He is the fountain of our happiness, He the end of all our desires...For our good, about which philosophers have so keenly contended, is nothing else than to be united to God” (306, 307). Our heavenly Father is also concerned for the happiness of his children. This stood out to me as I was reading from a prayer in The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions. The title of this prayer is “God the Source of All Good.” God is praised for creating life from his own pleasure, as well as for communicating happiness. The prayer itself communicates happiness as it glorifies God. How do we communicate happiness to those around us? Paul communicates happiness to the Philippians as he is chained to a prison guard in Rome—not a very favorable situation. As he awaits the legal proceedings to determine whether he will live and be released, or die, Paul opens the letter speaking of his joy. As he ponders the outcome, Paul reveals that he longs for death because he wants to be closer to the Lord. But he rejoices as he believes the prayers of the Philippians aided by the Spirit will result in his release. He knows that God would have him communicate his happiness further to the church. And so he says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Paul’s rejoicing is in communicating Christ. And so he teaches this church about two gifts from the Lord “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Phil. 1:29). Sure, we have no problem proclaiming the gift of faith. But do you ever think of suffering for Christ’s sake as a gift? How do we communicate happiness to those around us? It is easy for me to write about finding my joy in the Lord no matter my circumstances, but is this really what I am communicating? Do my children see me living this way? Do I say one thing, and then send a different message about looking for happiness in a good reputation, working hard, and then gaining material rewards? Do they think that happiness resides in bringing mom home some straight “A’s”? Or is the secret of happiness making good decisions? This is something I believe I need to repent of and pray about. Thankfully, our Creator has not left us to find happiness on our own. He has communicated happiness in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the One who has done all the work on my behalf to secure my union with him. I can rejoice in all circumstances because I am in Christ, the fountain of all my joy. Communicating Christ is communicating happiness.