“Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Your happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you.” ~ Ralph Marston
There is a certain poignant fact to our lives: we choose whether or not we are going to be happy. Oh, yes, we often blame other people or circumstances for our unhappiness or give credit to other people or circumstances for our happiness; but, the fact remains that we are in charge of our feelings. If we decide that we are going to be happy, we are. If we decide we are going to be morose, we are. If we decide we are going to be sad or euphoric or despondent, we will be what we choose.
That is why we are often surprised to see someone acting in a manner we think does not relate to the situation. It is often said about people who work in trauma situations, in hospice, or other types of work, that they appear “too happy”. Others make judgments about their demeanor because they cannot see themselves feeling good or happy in that position.
The ones who work those fields get a lot of gratification out of being able to provide solace to their charges. Their love and joy is infectious and often buoys their patients. When we find ourselves in situations that others on the outside might consider frightening or sad or whatever feeling they ascribe to it, we are the ones who decide how we feel, not them.
Happiness is not a destination. If we choose to make happiness a way of life, we will find that we are much better able to handle all the things that come our way in this world. Have no doubt about it, the world would snatch away our happiness if it could. However, that is not up to the world. It is up to us.
If we are determined to meet the world and its mess with joy in our hearts and a smile on our face, the world cannot touch us. We, on the other hand, might be able to touch the world because our witness might give others the example and courage that they need to choose happiness as well.
That is a choice that God would want us to make. He created us in His image and likeness in order to be happy and fulfilled. God does not want us to choose something other than happiness because He desires us to be happy throughout our lives in order to have a taste, miniscule as it may be, of what eternal happiness would be with Him.
The choice is yours. Make the right choice today.
FAITH ACTION: Choose to go through your day today with the joy of the Lord in your heart and happiness in all your actions.