«IN THE PATH OF YOUR COMMANDS I FIND DELIGHT»
«Direct me in the path of Your commands, for there I find delight»
Psalm 119:35, NW.
LET’s CONTINUE DISCUSSING yesterday’s topic: happiness. In the United States’ Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers declared, «We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.» Since many people consider that being happy is an unalienable right of all humanity, they try to enjoy that right by any means.
Some time ago, I read an interview the prestigious British Broadcasting Corporation conducted with Edgar Cabanas, co-author of Happycracy: How the Science and Industry of Happiness Control Our Lives. During this interview, Dr. Cabanas explained how the search for happiness has become an addiction for those living in the twenty-first century. Furthermore, he added that false promises about happiness have turned us into selfish beings, who are constantly «obsessed with ourselves, our thoughts and emotions.» We have fallen into a sort of worship of the gurus of happiness, those self-help specialists who offer all the supposed secrets that will help us experience that yearned-for bliss. As a consequence, we have become terribly egocentric.
God’s Word talks a lot about happiness, the genuine kind that exceeds a mere human right. It defines a happy person with these words: «Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God» (Psalm 1:1, GNT). Further on, the psalmist presents the path leading to happiness: «Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight» (Psalm 119:35, NIV). Some view the commandments as an obstacle for experiencing pleasure, but the «commandments are not burdensome» (1 John 5:3).
We demand our right to be happy, but we don’t want to assume the responsibilities that are entailed in that right. If we want to be happy, we need to be in harmony with God and His commandments. The essence of happiness does not lie in how I feel, but in what I am doing. What will make me happy is not feeling good, but doing good.
If you truly want to be a happy person, I invite you to walk down the’ path of God’s law, because happiness is down that path.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Avineyda Hernández