One’s mood is quickly affected if the things that are important to you don’t go well. We soon become negative when our country and its affairs are not managed well.

When our financial affairs aren’t running smoothly. When our relationships are shipwrecked now and then, and we wash up on a lonely beach. Our joy is stolen when our dreams and castles are shot to pieces.

We were invited for tea, and as we chatted, our host told us about someone down the street who took a revolver one morning, went into the veld, and shot himself. We went to see where it happened. This hit me hard.

There was no warning sign beforehand. He and his wife were so happy. They had everything. Their life path together was smoothly tarred. They had ample finances. But somewhere, something stole his joy, and he couldn’t face it anymore.

When things around me don’t want to go well, when something worms its way between me and my dreams, when my future looks dark, my joy packs up and walks out the back door.

Then I wonder if true happiness and true peace and true joy are really possible in today’s life. Shouldn’t we just get used to all the negatives and tell ourselves that true, profound happiness, peace and joy can’t really fully manifest in today’s life?

No, it is possible. True happiness, peace and joy can be a reality here on earth. I suspect we are doing as the song says: Looking for love in all the wrong places. Maybe we’re looking for happiness, peace and joy in all the wrong places, too.

True happiness, peace and joy cannot come from worldly things. The Bible says that in the end, it will all be eaten by moths or will rot. It’s not permanent.

Those with a lot of money who can buy anything their heart desires are looking hard for a place of belonging. Those who dance on the red carpets sometimes just want to go shopping in town where nobody recognises them.

Only with God true happiness, peace and joy can be found. When we realise what Jesus did for us on the cross, that His blood opened the way to eternal life for us, we are overwhelmed with true happiness, peace and joy.

^4-5Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Know that our road to heaven is tarred. It cannot and will not be taken away from us. When one really realises this, when you make this knowledge part of your being, you are overwhelmed, and true happiness, peace and joy appear at your door. Let them in. They will never pack up and leave.

Scripture
1 Peter 1:3-5

Reflection
How is your life going?
Are you looking for true peace, joy and happiness?
Have you gone to find it with God?

Prayer
Father, I actually know most of these things, but the world often comes to trip me up. Help me to seek true happiness, peace and joy from You, to find it with You, and make it part of my life. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.