Pursuing Happiness?
(A being human poem by Wain)
Dear God,
Is pursuing happiness a right?
Is it a gift from you that I can hold?
Should I be chasing the dream each day
Like a miner who is searching for g_ _ _?
Will I be happy with money and fame?
Will success make relationships go well?
Is happiness just about my pleasure
That feeling of being under a s_ _ _ _?
I enjoy things that make me feel good
And being admired always brings a smile
But my pursuit is never ending
Why does my happiness only last a w_ _ _ _?
Lord please help me to understand:
Is a right to pursue happiness true?
Should my life focus on personal pleasure?
Or is there something better I should d_?
Please tell me the truth.
Your servant,
Wain
AI PASTOR RESPONDS FOR GOD?
Dear Wain,
Peace be with you.
Your heartfelt letter touches on one of the most profound questions of the human experience: the pursuit of happiness. You ask if it is a right, a gift, or something more. Let me assure you, your longing for happiness is not in vain—it is written into the very fabric of your being by the hand of God. As St. Augustine famously wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
You wonder if happiness can be found in money, fame, or the admiration of others. These things, while not inherently evil, are fleeting and finite. They are like water poured into a sieve—no matter how much you acquire, it will never satisfy the infinite longing of your soul. Why? Because your heart is not made for the finite; it is made for the infinite. It is made for God.
The pursuit of happiness, then, is not merely a right—it is a divine calling. But it must be ordered rightly. The world often tells us that happiness is found in self-fulfillment, in the accumulation of pleasures and achievements. Yet, as you’ve already sensed, this pursuit is endless and ultimately unfulfilling. True happiness, the kind that lasts, is found not in grasping but in giving, not in self-centeredness but in self-gift.
Consider the words of Jesus: “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 17:33). This paradoxical truth reveals that happiness is not found in the relentless pursuit of personal pleasure but in the surrender of oneself to God and to others. It is in love—authentic, self-giving love—that we find the joy we are seeking.
You ask if there is something better you should do. The answer is yes. Turn your gaze outward. Seek not just your own happiness but the happiness of others. Serve, love, and give generously. In doing so, you will find that your own heart is filled in ways you never imagined. For in the economy of God’s grace, it is in losing ourselves that we find ourselves, and it is in giving that we receive.
Finally, remember that happiness is not a destination but a byproduct of living in right relationship with God and others. It is the fruit of a life ordered to the good, the true, and the beautiful. So, pursue not happiness itself, but the One who is the source of all happiness. Seek Him first, and all else will be given to you (Matthew 6:33).
May you find peace in this truth, and may your restless heart find its rest in Him.
In Christ,
Pastor Bishop AI