I remember back in the day, I was sitting on stage left at a U2 concert on New Years Eve in Dublin, Ireland. At that moment in time, I thought it was the happiest day of my life. I would see this band in concert more than 20 times over the course of the next 10 years, and I am sure that every time I saw them, I believed it was the happiest day of my life.
The day I married Dwight and became a mom to three amazing boys was the happiest day of my life. But I can also say that the day some friends and I were sitting in a restaurant at the bottom of the world in the country of New Zealand having an American Express Brunch with a view of the Remarkables–the very mountains used in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy–that was the happiest day as well. So was the day I gave my life to Christ at Calvary Chapel, or the time I got to walk the red carpet with my mom for the People’s Choice Awards in Pasadena, or the time I won an award for producing theatre, or when I graduated from high school. You get where I am going? Yes, we tend to forget happy times in light of what is going on right now. And the elation doesn’t last. And so we can find ourselves chasing after some new experience to make us happy. 
C.S. Lewis once said that he didn’t follow Christ to make him happy. He said a bottle of port would be enough to make him happy. You see, he realized that true joy could only be found in knowing and being known by Christ. Please get beyond the obvious with this statement, people–don’t focus solely on the alcohol part. Do you understand what he was really saying? He knew that happiness was as fleeting as a bottle of wine. But the deep joy that Christ gives is everlasting… it literally has no end!
The Bible contains many verses concerning happiness. Proverbs 28:14 tells us, ” Happy is the man that feareth always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.” Proverbs 16:20 lets us know that,” He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whose trust is in the LORD, happy is he.” The flip-side of happiness, the side we seldom talk about, is found in 2 Corinthians 12:10: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” How many times are we happy when we are going trough trying times? It’s not fun, and it is not meant to be fun, but it is in these times that we grow strong in our faith and dependence upon God. In the meantime, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the good times in life. What is wrong is when we seek worldly fun over the eternal joy of knowing Christ. May we never forget that no matter how amazing our day here on earth may be, it will never, ever compare to a day in Jesus’ presence!
God bless,
Rebecca
P.S. Before you bust a gut or roll your eyes in disgust, the contents of the champagne glasses for our wedding was sparkling cider. ;P
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