Page 20 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 3

ISSUE THREE | NOV/DEC

Sanja Lyubomirsky describes Preaching the gospel of happiness as to what is valuable and what
happiness as “the experience and good feelings at the detriment has no real meaning. The man,
of joy, contentment, or positive of that which is eternal and which the woman, the teenager who is
wellbeing, combined with a sense can only come by the sacrifice able to decide for himself to live
that one’s life is good, meaningful of selfish desires. Simply put, after the chase of that which is
and worthwhile.” the only happiness that is worth meaningless, I believe also has the
chasing after is that joy which wells ability to make proper choices for
I will use this as a general definition up like a spring of life in the heart that which is meaningful. Except
the world has of the concept of of him who has found an eternal that what people call meaningful in
happiness, keep it at the back of reason to live, a reason which our day happens to be the things
your mind even as we go further goes beyond death into eternity. that make them “happy” and which
into this article. Period. Anything else is a chase almost all the time, have no eternal
after shadows and dust. You can value. Many will blame the devil
Of what use is it really? quote me on this anywhere. I stand and even, maybe blame Eve. But
for it anywhere and any time. So I in the real sense, the devil is not to
Such an elaborate definition of say it again “Simply put, the only blame for Eve’s fall and neither is
happiness sounds like a happy happiness that is worth chasing Eve to blame for anyone’s choices
song. But my only issue with the after is that joy which wells up and decisions to allow the chase
concept of happiness is not the like a spring of life in the heart of fleshy desire take over their
above definition in and of itself, of him who has found an eternal hearts. The devil only played on
but to what “treasure” is one’s joy, reason to live, a reason which the desire that was already in Eve
contentment, positivity, sense of goes beyond death into eternity. and is doing the same for everyone
worth and meaning, one’s entire Period. Anything else is a chase else following suit. For scriptures
life anchored to? Let me put it in after shadows and dust.” say of Eve “So when the woman
another way: Of what use is the Am I in anyway against the good (Eve) SAW that the tree was good
happiness that is an experience things of life that God graciously for food, that it was PLEASANT to
of joy, contentment, wellbeing gives us? Not at all. For the the eyes, and a tree DESIRABLE
and sense of worth over that goodness, the kindness and to make one wise, she took of its
which has no eternal value? Think the providence of God towards fruit and ate. She also gave to her
about it. Or let me put it this way. mankind is pleasing to His heart husband WITH HER, and he ate”.
Why should someone in his right and a pointer to His Fatherly Genesis 3:6. (Emphasis mine).
mind, measure his or her life’s heart. But a chase after that The question now again is this.
worth based on that which will which doesn’t please Him in the Who is to blame for the chase after
expire and become, at best, a human quest for happiness, I do fleshly desire, since Adam and
monument for stories of futility? not subscribe to. It is futility. It is Eve were created without guilt of
Is that not a grand deception? fornication. It is the exchange of any kind? We will talk about this in
And this concept of happiness, that which is eternal for that which other articles.
is what men have dedicated their is temporal. It is death.
entire lives chasing after and King Solomon’s story – The
never stopping at any time to ask, Who is to blame? vanity of pleasure
“what happened to the things or Life is certainly more than clothing,
happiness my forefathers chased new shoes, fine houses, fast If there is a story in the Bible of
after?” I think man has become cars, the highs of drugs, sexual someone who went all the way in
a slave of his own learnings and gratification and all the many chasing after happiness, it is King
wayward knowledge that has things men chase after to make Solomon. A man given wisdom
reduced him to an unconscious them “happy”. That one chased by God Himself to rule over His
being, driven by selfish desires and after it two years ago and still is people. A man given wealth and
not evaluating the true meaning not satisfied shows its transient prosperity in ways not seen in his
of things in relation to eternity. I nature. It never will be tangible days and even before his days.
have read several articles about and never will last. However, the A man from whom nothing of this
how some people get into drugs, question now is this, who is to world was withheld. A man who
homosexuality, fraud, adultery, blame for the pursuit of happiness, had it all and more. But see what
prostitution and all the many other of materialism that man has so he said concerning his chase of
vices we see and hear of. They engrossed himself with? I think my happiness that had no eternal
all seem to say the same thing. “I sincere answer is, nobody, except value:
wanted to be happy.” the one who is chasing after it. No
And to make matters worse, the man is left without the conscious Ecclesiastes 2:1-16
church also has followed suit. ability to make accurate decisions I said in my heart, “Come now, I
20 HEALING - RESTORING - REBIRTHING - AFRICA