Authentic Happiness

The Authentic Happiness website gives this definition of so called Authentic Happiness:

“. . .it is possible to be happier — to feel more satisfied, to be more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher hopes, and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless of one’s circumstances.”

I would agree with this statement, for the most part. As a Christian I know what it means to have this so called authentic happiness. I would revise the quote however:

In Christ, it is possible to be happier — to feel more satisfied, to be more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher hopes, and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless of one’s circumstances.

I have my motivation for happiness. It is Jesus Christ. What does the world think? Here is an interesting article published last May by the BBC. The article first attempted to define happiness and after coming up with no clear meaning, it went on to describe what (according to researchers) did and did not contribute to happiness. First it examines the effect of wealth on happiness:

“Standard of living has increased dramatically and happiness has increased not at all, and in some cases has diminished slightly,” said Professor Daniel Kahneman of the University of Princeton.

Nope. Wealth doesn’t bring happiness, not even from the World’s point of view. The wisest man to ever walk the earth also had some things to say about wealth in Ecclesiastes 2:9-11.

So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

It’s quite obviously not wealth. So, what did the BBC article have to say about what makes us happy?

First, family and friends are crucial – the wider and deeper the relationships with those around you the better.

The second vital ingredient is having meaning in life, a belief in something bigger than yourself – from religion, spirituality or a philosophy of life.

The third element is having goals embedded in your long term values that you’re working for, but also that you find enjoyable.

Relationships, a belief in something bigger than oneself, and having good long term goals. I think we can learn some important things about the sole purpose of man from these observations. I could have used the Word to arrive at the same conclusion, but I think it is sometimes nice to examine the fullness of the truth presented in Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

This context of this verse speaks about the failure of humanity to live up to our responsibilities and God’s just judgment in light of this irresponsibility. I think that this verse applies to every area of our lives, including human behavior. What does the Bible say about the analysis presented in this BBC article?

1 John 4:7-10

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

This passage clearly covers the first two points observed in the article. I think it is fair to assume that to love something is to find pleasure or happiness in it. I don’t know anyone who would debate this. So, here we have relationships with others that are related to a belief in a higher being. More specifically, a love for God which spills over into a love for people. The third point is discussed later in the passage.

1 John 4:17-18

By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Because of the love that Christ has shown us, we have confidence in the future. More specifically, we don’t fear it. This confidence and hope for the future gives Christians a happiness that is bigger than our circumstances.

So what about the psychologists? They almost got it right. I think that is true with many things in modern psychology. They see the effects and call them the means. Relationships, belief in God, and hope for tomorrow are all trivial without Christ. Christ brings a happiness that results in deeper relationships, bigger faith in God and more confidence in tomorrow. He has been offering the happiness that modern psychology seeks after for thousands of years. You’d think somebody would catch on.