{"id":60053,"date":"2023-03-23T10:38:11","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=60053"},"modified":"2023-03-23T10:38:11","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:38:11","slug":"finding-real-happiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/finding-real-happiness\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Real Happiness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

by Richard Thetford<\/p>\n

\"\"Everyone wants a life filled with joy and happiness, but very few find it. One major reason man fails to find the happiness he seeks is that he is trying to obtain it through the wrong means. Millionaires who have houses, yachts, and condominiums often complain in counseling sessions that they’re so unhappy they often think about committing suicide. They have everything money can buy, but they’re unhappy with their lives! There’s a void in their hearts that has never been filled — a thirst that has never been satisfied.<\/p>\n

Those with college degrees are often unhappy. Physicians, lawyers, and educators often admit that they are very unhappy. This proves that higher education in and of itself doesn’t bring happiness. Anyone who is trying to find happiness through wealth, position, education, or notoriety is looking in the wrong place.<\/p>\n

The void that people have in their hearts can only be filled through a relationship with the Lord Himself. Jesus stated in John 4:13-14, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

Only the Lord can fill the deepest longings of the heart. Proverbs 3:5-8 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Richard Thetford Everyone wants a life filled with joy and happiness, but very few find it. One major reason man fails to find the happiness he seeks is that he is trying to obtain it through the wrong means. Millionaires who have houses, yachts, and condominiums often complain in counseling sessions that they’re so…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[381,374,576],"class_list":["post-60053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-education","tag-happiness","tag-wealth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":80946,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-want-me-to-be-unhappy\/","url_meta":{"origin":60053,"position":0},"title":"Does God Want Me to Be Unhappy?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton It is quite natural to want to be happy, and often, people think that is the whole reason God put us here. They have imagined that God just wants us to be happy no matter what. Is that true? Let's consider this for a moment. God\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":83926,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/unhappy-or-happy\/","url_meta":{"origin":60053,"position":1},"title":"Unhappy or Happy?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton The measure of a good life is not that you are happy or not. You can sear the conscience so that it does not bother you to do wrong or to use people for selfish purposes. With a seared conscience, you could possibly enjoy the \"pleasures\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68453,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/god-wants-me-to-be-happy-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":60053,"position":2},"title":"God Wants Me to Be Happy (Flores)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 19, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Zeke Flores \"God wants me to be happy!\" How many times have you heard that from someone? How often might you have said it yourself? Interestingly, the Bible says nothing like that. It does say that God wants you to be holy (I Peter 1:14-16), which is much deeper\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4443,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-rid-myself-of-anger-frustration-and-resentment-toward-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":60053,"position":3},"title":"How do I rid myself of anger, frustration, and resentment toward God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How do I rid myself of anger, frustration, and resentment toward God? Life isn't, and probably shouldn't be, heaven on earth, but I feel at times as though things are withheld (Luke 18:1). Did I not pray hard enough or long enough for something? Does God keep \"score?\" Perhaps\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45080,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-to-be-happy\/","url_meta":{"origin":60053,"position":4},"title":"How to be Happy","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 4:1-7 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Are you happy? Truly happy? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0For many people the answer is \u201cI would be happy, if ...\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If something changed, then I could be happy. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes the change is something simple. \u201cOnce I lose another ten pounds, I\u2019ll be happy.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But too\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29159,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jamaica-patois-wisdom-happiness\/","url_meta":{"origin":60053,"position":5},"title":"Jamaica Patois Wisdom – Happiness","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60053\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}