Temporary Happiness or Lasting Joy?

I stood at the counter of my favorite boutique buying a new outfit and a new pair of adorable shoes. The must have outfit and shoes were suppose to be therapy to my rough day. I like to joke that my favorite kind of therapy is retail therapy.

However, as I left the store that day I didn't feel much better. Most outfits in my closet were all purchases on this pursuit for well happiness. There was a red dress to ease my heart after a fight with a friend. A pair of shoes to make myself feel better about the bad grade. The pretty piece of jewelry to fix the worries I had. You get the picture. I began to realize that I was trying to fill the void of wanting happiness with things that were so temporary instead of turning to God, who gives everlasting joy (Isaiah 35:10).

I began to think as I looked inside my closet stuffed with shoes and clothes that all these things were fleeting, happiness was fleeting. What if instead of buying those shoes or that dress, we turned to Christ? What if instead of turning to things that were temporary, we turned to something that last? Instead of running away from the tough stuff in life or avoiding them, we faced them knowing that God is our strength (Psalm 28:7).

It can a liberating feeling when you realize that you don't have to settle for temporary happiness. It is not that you won't face tough things or experience pain, but you have a strength that will give you a joy no matter what. I have always loved James 1:2, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many." It wasn't until the moment I stood in front of my closet when I realized that I must start looking at life with great joy. Experiencing God's great joy instead of fixating on this "happiness," that I think I need.

I hope that whatever you may be experiencing today you make a choice to pursue Christ and his everlasting joy. Do not settle for temporary happiness, but rather something that is everlasting!

Hope you have a great Sunday!! Much love!