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What Is Needed To Be Happy

By Dean Kelly

My wife and I have a favorite comic strip – Pickles (copyright by Andrews McMeel Syndication). In a series of these daily comic strips a few weeks ago they had the grandmother telling her grandson that there are three things that we need if we want to be happy. It is that list of three things that we want to consider here: 

1) We Need Something to Do; 

2) We Need Something to Love; and

3. We Need Something to Hope For.

Something To Do: The old saying, “idleness is the devil’s workshop” has a great deal of truth. Having something to do implies more than just an immediate activity in which we are temporarily involved. If it is going to influence our happiness it must be a lifestyle, something that we don’t only do, but something that is a major part of who we are. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Something To Love: True, unselfish love is like the Apostle Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13. That “agape” love is a superior love, and the type of love that will lead to happiness. “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39).

Something To Hope For. If we come to the cross of Jesus in obedient faith, then we have an absolutely certain hope. “3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Hope makes every day worth all its own toils and struggles.

May you find the true happiness that you can have in Jesus.

Dean Kelly is minister at Highland Home Church of Christ.