Happiness: Scripture Challenge Day 3

Day 3: A scripture that I love.

Well this is difficult.

After flipping through my Bible a bit, I've decided on 2 verses to love today. I say that because I love A LOT of verses in the Bible. So I narrowed it down to single verses. Then I narrowed it down to one of my favorite books. And then, I got it down to 3 that I love. Here they are:

"The Teacher says, 'Useless! Useless! Completely useless! Everything is useless! What do people really gain from all their hard work on Earth?"

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3

"Now, everything has been heard, so I give my final advice: Fear God and obey his commands, because this is all that people must do."

Ecclesiastes 12:13

The first and last statements of the book tell a whole story. Things like partying and working and getting what you want is not really worth a hill of beans. David had it all. He was the King. Everything he commanded was at his fingertips. But he wasn't even happy.

This whole book is David's plea to people to realize, you don't need anything but God to make you happy.

That removes a lot of anxiety in my mind. God will provide for me. I don't need to worry. As long as I fear Him. As long as I do what He said. He's got my back. He'll take care of me.

The simplest of concepts: happiness.

Think about all the things you do on a daily basis to maintain your happiness. Drinking Starbucks, watching your favorite TV show, cooking, scrapbooking, playing sports.

Now take all of that away. Every single earthly antidote to happiness.

Would you still be happy?

If you woke up in a cardboard box in the middle of the Yukon wearing nothing but a bathrobe, would you still be happy?

That may be extreme. Ok, it IS extreme. But it's true. Do you fear God and keep His commandments no matter what? And then are you always HAPPY about it?

I'm not. Sometimes I need a cupcake to cheer me up. Or a shopping trip. Or a good book to stick my nose in.

Why do I seek other things to make me happy when the Lord is all I need?