Happiness in the Pursuit of Holiness?

Yesterday I wrote about Happiness. It wasn’t the first time I addressed that topic. In the summer of 2011, I wrote this:

But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” —1 Peter 1:15–16

Americans are understandably proud of our right to pursue happiness. Our problem is that we have lost the path. One sure way to unhappiness is to spend your life pursuing it. Happiness is not a goal; it’s a by-product. Now hold your breath, it’s a by-product of the pursuit of holiness.

I know that sounds radical. Conventional wisdom is that seeking holiness is an alternative to seeking happiness. We sometimes believe we have a choice of happiness now, or happiness later in the great by-and-by.  But that’s not true. God wants us to be holy because He is holy and because we were designed to be holy. We will only be happy if we achieve that for which we were designed: holiness.

Now I know it’s fashionable to think that happiness is not an appropriate Christian state. We distinguish “joy” from “happiness.” Joy is spiritual; but happiness is worldly. That’s just silly. Joy is just a deeper, more abiding state of happiness. We tend to think of happiness in terms of material things and joy in terms of spiritual; but the bottom line is we should be smiling, no matter if we call the reason “joy” or we call it “happiness.”

We had a great friendship group meeting this morning. If you are not in such a group, you are missing out. We discussed righteousness and holiness. For me it was one of those conversations that, hours later, you realize what you should have said. I should have said, “We need to show people that happiness resides in righteousness not in sinfulness.” We as Christians are more and more estranged from a world that is pursuing happiness in self. We call them sinners, for sinners they are. But then we shun them, feeling somehow more righteous because we are not like them. Sounds like the Pharisees, doesn’t it.

The miraculous thing about Jesus was that he could sit and related with sinners without compromising. He made them want to be like him, not ashamed to be different from Him. There is a difference. Many of us have lost our lines of communication with a sinful world. They believe we have chosen holiness over happiness rather than holiness as the only path to happiness. We can’t change that unless we are willing to listen to them,  talk to them, love them and show them.

Jesus walked among the sinners; should we do any less.

Boldly and publicly pursue holiness with a happy and joyous smile.

Nick