The Motivation for Happiness
From time to time most, if not all, of us have to do some soul-searching. What makes us happy? If we were making more money, would we be happy? Do we think that an extra $5,000 a year would make us happy? What would we do with that? Is there a need for it or do we think that we could buy more stuff that would make us happy?
If we were more attractive, more beautiful or more handsome, would we be happy? If you could change your physical appearance into what you would like, would it make you happy? Why? If you really could lose 50 or 100 pounds, would you be happy? Why?
If you were more popular, would that be enough? How would you define “popularity”? More requests to do this or to do that? More people recognizing you, “Hey, Paul, how are you!” Is that happiness? If you had more influence over others, would that provide happiness? If people were calling you to ask for your advice, would you be happy?
Perhaps you have heard psychologists say that in order to be an “expert” at some task, you have to put in 10,000 hours at that task. That’s five years worth of work at 40 hours a week. Do you have that much time to put into something?
Let’s just take physical exercise as an example. The people who really enjoy exercise do it because they enjoy it, not because they are trying to lose weight. They work out four or five hours a day because they enjoy the physical exertion. The weight-loss comes as a side effect.
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Living the Christian life is a process. We will not ultimately reach the goal until we reach heaven. Consider Paul’s famous words from Philippians 3:12: “Not that I have already obtained it [the resurrection from the dead] or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” The emphasis in Paul’s life was “pressing on” – the drive to succeed.
In The Myths of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky offers three suggestions to help us sustain our commitment and drive and these three are applicable for our Christian walk. First, make a public resolution to accomplish something. We see this reflected in the periodic “covenant renewal” among the Israelites (cf. Joshua 24:24ff). God requires us to make a public confession of our faith (Romans 10:9-10) and this public affirmation is renewed through the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Second, Lyubomirsky points out that we should “win over those who are closest to us about the value of our pursuits and then engage and cultivate their aid and comfort” (pg. 141). Draw our friends and families into Christianity with us. If we can not convert them, perhaps we can at least draw them into supporting our decision to live the Christian life. It will certainly help us in our desire to reach perfection.
Finally, be willing to stretch your faith. In Lyubomirsky’s words, “choose growth over security.” Try something new. Get out of your comfort zone. Do something in the work of the church that is not “known, comfortable, and familiar.” Growth requires discipline. Christianity requires growth and discipline. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Living the Christian life is a joy. Pressing on in glorifying Jesus in every way we can should bring us happiness that cannot be taken away.
–Paul Holland
