Christian Living
“Right at Your Heels”
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full,”(John 15:11).
If true happiness is found within each of us because God, who is the Ocean of eternal happiness and the sole source of happiness, lies in each of us. Then that must mean we first have to know and love God before we can tap into that vine of everlasting bliss. We already know that there is no fullness of joy in that which is limited, and that which comes to an end. In God there is no end, thus, for any souls which dwell in Him there will also be no end. And if we love God then we are in essence, loving ourselves. And if we love ourselves, then we shall forever be happy because of the connection we share to the Vine. Christ said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit,” (John 15:5).
It all sounds rather simplistic, know God then know ourselves. Love God then love ourselves and forever shall happiness rain upon us. But for many of us loving ourselves isn’t as easy because we have not yet understood fully that inside us is where true bliss comes. Instead we sometimes feel the search for happiness is a journey which must be made outside of us. We share sentiments which sound a little like this: I am not happy because I don’t know myself. I have to go find that self if I’m ever going to expect to be happy. But staying here, in my current job, my current life, marriage, home, etc., I will never find that. If only I can go there, or have that, or be in that sunny, fantastic, perfect place where everyone else who is happy seem to be then I know I shall be happy once and for all.
It is strange but in my own living and meeting and greeting other people, I’ve found that at some point in each of our lives we all have felt that way. For some of us the sentiment last but just a moment, then we are snapped back into reality. And for some of us the sentiment becomes a struggle, a battle within us with ourselves, society, reality and God. So often we would ask God – oh if only you could grant me that. For many people who are granted “that” or who do find themselves in their vision of where happiness will surely be won – be it a job, new relationship, or new location of living – joy does come to them initially. Everything that is new &exciting is capable of bringing us joy. But what it can not bring to us is the eraser that wipes away all the problems of our lives which brought us to the point of disdain in the first place. Those things are still there inside of our being, our minds, our hearts, our consciences. And just like the stuff of the outside world can’t erase our troubles, it also can’t replace them either. That is why in reality that initial joy always comes to an end, and we are once more faced with our inner voice & inner spirit, who only exist because the breath of God is within us. And running from it all proves to be impossible.
Sadly, many people never come to the realization of that simple fact and they continue to make up excuses to keep on running, chasing after the nebulous image that we think is eternal happiness. We can never find that which we do not know the face of. We can not find lasting bliss in what is limited. We can not capture joy which is in another, falsely thinking if they are happy we will be happy. No matter if they are our children, our spouse, our entire family and best of friends because their joy can only add to our joy. If we can not be happy with ourselves then we can not be a source of joy to anyone else. Similarly if we can not love ourselves then we can not be a source of love for anyone else. True love and eternal happiness lies within each of our being. It is only there that we will find everlasting peace because God is all-love, all-joy, all-intellect, all-conscience and all-bliss.
If you desire eternal happiness then you must first desire God. To know Him, to understand Him, to love Him, who “first love you” (Mark 12:30). Only then will you be at peace enough to love yourself, just as you are with your all flaws and your all perfections, just as your heavenly Father loves you. For He first created you in His image – a child of Light, a child of goodness, a child of God, and in you forever happiness lies. Amen. Just try it and see.
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