Be Happy?

Today I was talking with a middle-school aged kid who mentioned people in his school who cut themselves, and relate with the "emo" crowd.

Last week there was a fire and shooting threat at my alma mater.

Yesterday there was a bomb threat at a different local high school.

Does anyone see something wrong with these pictures?

I do. I see unhappy, dissatisfied people. Particularly unhappy, dissatisfied young people.

Why? Isn't today's prevailing theory of secular humanism, which teaches that the chief aim of man is to be happy, working? Is it not making people happy? No, apparently it's not; it seems to me it's making people miserable. Now don't get me wrong, there are numerous contributing factors to the decay of youth, but the one that seems most prevalent is a lake of direction and purpose, which should ultimately come from God.

Secular humanism fails in that it teaches mans chief purpose is to be happy. I'm sorry, but being happy is not a purpose, it is a symptom of one fulfilling purpose, not the purpose in and of itself.

Why do todays youth feel abandoned, and depressed, and distressed to the point they are mutilating themselves, and threatening to kill their principals? Because they are missing their purpose. We tell them to be happy, but provide no way to be happy. Happiness does not come from drugs, and sex, and wild partying, etc... Happiness will come when people enter the purpose God has for them; happiness is not the purpose, it is a result.

Listen to these words of the great preacher Smith Wigglesworth:
"If you wish to be anything for God, do not miss His plan. God has no room for you on ordinary lines" (emphasis mine). Humanism only has room for you on ordinary lines. The reason people are not happy with humanism is because it forces conformity to mediocrity. It is no wonder people are unfulfilled and unhappy!

In a very real way people today are parched. They want some substance to life, the humanistic world is a desert, with nothing but sand. However life in Christ is fulfilling! John 7:38 (NIV) says: "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." You need some water to truly live an abundant, fulfilling life, and Christ offers streams of living water to all who believe in Him!

A.W. Tozer said "the chief aim of man is to glorify God". You will never achieve true happiness outside of the will of God! God has put desires and dreams in your heart for a reason, He wants you to live abundantly. Jesus came "that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10, NIV). Jesus wants us to have an abundant, full life; but you have to believe in the One who offers that life!

So humanism says you should aim to be happy; it is apparent that happiness is a result, not a method. The only way you will ever truly be happy is by submitting your life to Jesus Christ and His great will for your life!