“So many people view God as a means to happiness, like it is God’s job to provide them with what they need to be happy. No. . . we have God and he is the greatest blessing, so he makes us happy. . . . Happy people don’t chase after happiness; they chase after God, and happiness catches them.”- Kyle Idleman (emphasis author’s)
In Chapter 7 (“The Pattern of Pleasure” From Instant Gratification to Eternal Perspective”) of Every Thought Captive, Kyle Idleman notes the prevalence and persuasive power of the pattern of pleasure in our culture. Yet, Kyle counsels, the truth is that we all find ourselves in danger of getting caught up in the world’s pleasure pattern.
As a result, the author encourages, we all need to understand the progression of our thoughts. Because, unless we take these thoughts captive, it’s only a matter of time before those thoughts take us captive.
Thought #1: Doing what feels good will make me happy. Hoping to find happiness, we pursue pleasure. However, Kyle notes, all kinds of studies — not just faith-based ones — report this result. The quickest way to unhappiness = making our lives about happiness. A stance sometimes called the pleasure paradox or the happiness illusion. Turns out, Kyle quips, that trying to pursue pleasure makes us miserable,
Hence, in her book Smoke on the Mountain, Joy Davidman (wife of C. S. Lewis) said:
“Living for pleasure is the least pleasurable thing a man can do; if his neighbors don’t kill him in disgust, he will slowly die of boredom and powerlessness.”
In conclusion, Pastor Idleman reiterates, our culture proclaims that one finds happiness through the pursuit of pleasure. But God says happiness is found by pursuing Him. Above all, God wants us to be happy. And we acquire that happiness as we pursue and know Him. God tells us so in the Bible:
“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust in him.”- Psalm 37:4-5 (NIV)
Today’s question: Do you agree with Kye that happy people chase after God? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Immediate pleasure and happiness?”