NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Day 33 – The Pursuit of Happiness

Scripture focus: Blessed are the poor in spirit…those who mourn…the meek…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…those who are persecuted because of righteousness…blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me…selected phrases from Matthew 5

The guy from yesterday’s devotional story never joined a second bible study. In fact, within a few months, he dropped out of the one he was attending. Soon he dropped out of his community of fellow seekers altogether. At some point, months later, I ran into him at a local restaurant. Inquiring about how he was doing, he said: “ I’ve given up my crutch of spirituality. It never did much for me anyway. I’m a lot happier now that I don’t feel any pressure to be anywhere or do anything except what I think will make me happy.” I hope he finds what he’s looking for – and I mean that with all honesty. If his passionate pursuit of perpetual perkiness works for him – that’s great. What I particularly appreciate about this gentleman is his honesty. He was able to state with simple clarity his core beliefs. This belief system determines his steps. Using his theology as an example, let’s return to the five words I proposed in previous devotionals that we wrestle with in order to grow our hearts.

1. Learn how to see the world (both seen and unseen) through the lens of God-vision goggles [vision]. My friend had a vision for his life – he wants it to be pleasant, happy, and responsive to his needs. When this didn’t happen, he returned his God-vision goggles and asked for a refund.
2. Learn the true identity of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, self, and the enemy. Having explored spirituality, he has chosen to focus on himself. His response to his spiritual search was to conclude that unless and until spirituality left him feeling great (all the time) – it didn’t do much for him.
3. Discover God’s prevailing purposes. I don’t have the information necessary to speak about what my friend thinks about God’s prevailing purposes. I do understand that he decided that his prevailing purpose would be the pursuit of happiness.
4. Practice stepping as God speaks. This will require discipline. My friend’s beliefs, vision and purposes result in self- discipline. He is desperately disciplined in his pursuit of pleasure.
5. Believe. People act on what they believe. My friend believes that his happiness is the highest value in life; he lives according to that firmly held conviction.

Please don’t hear me busting on my buddy. These are decisions that he has every right to make for himself. I relate this story in an attempt to get us to consider our own stepping. Whose goggles are we peering through? Who do we believe we are and how does that relate to who we believe God is? What is our prevailing purpose in life? In what areas are we desperately disciplined (this will reveal our purposes)? What do we believe – about God, self and suffering? I mention this story because I want us to get real about our own believing. If we say we believe in God, then we must also accept his perspective on suffering. Clearly big believing does not mean the absence of suffering. In fact, Jesus himself weds suffering and blessing in his teachings. James tells us to consider it all joy when we face trials (James 1).

My husband says that pairing a beautiful concept like blessing with suffering seems like an oxymoron to him – like “jumbo shrimp.” I continue to marvel at how much heart is required for me to embrace God’s perspective on matters such as these! I cry out in prayer, “Lord, increase my faith!” Because I want to feel better? No – although I like to feel good! Because I want to be a person whose vision, identity, purpose, discipline and belief bring God pleasure.

Recommended reading: Exodus 16 and 17 in the morning; Matthew 23 and Psalm 27 in the evening