The Pursuit of Happiness - For His Glory, Monday, August 31, 2009

I watched one of the more amazing offerings put out by Hollywood this weekend. It's a movie entitled "The Pursuit of Happyness" with actor Will Smith and his son. It chronicles the struggle of a man to keep good on his word that his children would know him. It also chronicles the struggle to overcome choices - his and those of others - and to be courageous in climbing what can seem like insurmountable obstacles. If you know me you know that I don't put much stock in "happiness." As I've explained to my children, happy is an emotion. I have encouraged them to instead, seek to have God's peace and His joy and contentment take priority in your lives.

This summer has not been a "happy" time in my life. I have been humbled and broken and in that humbling there has been a lot of pain - physical and otherwise. My pursuits have not all been fruitful and I have on many days been exquisitely discouraged. One verse of scripture that comes back to me time and time and time again is Psalm 27:14 that says

Wait on the Lord

and be of good courage

and HE will strengthen your heart.

Friends, the Almighty does not act in our time but, I believe, He instead gives us the courage to trust Him and to wait on Him. Seeking our own, we will "settle" for happiness. Seeking Him, we GET contentment and joy and courage and discipline and so much more that we're going to need to get us down the road. There are going to be obstacles in our lives but we can choose joy and we can choose to be of good courage in the climb. Happiness is a temporary emotion dear ones. Trust me when I say, how many times I have waited on the Lord and when I allow His spirit to fill my heart, He gives me what I need for the pursuit. Loving you, FHG, AA