Today as I write this, it is New Year's day. This marks the END of the "Holiday Season". Many of us had hihg expectations for this time. Many are disappointed, and some are even depressed.
I am NOT a psychologist, nor do I know anything about such matters, but I suspect this is a KEY time for depression. Likewise, I know nothing of the cause or treatment of depression. But I never let my personal ignorance stand in the way of having a definitive opinion! And neither do many others.
There is much emphasis in our culture on happiness. There are many folks looking for fulfillment in presents, parties, and possessions. These things never meet our needs. Our pursuit of happiness takes us far and wide, and consumes much of our attention.
As I have written before, this is NOT wise. "Life is tough, and it's tougher if you're stupid", attributed to John Wayne, is true. We suffer at our own hands, or at the hands of our expectations. Our pursuit of happiness is pretty much a fool's errand. Not that there are some genuinely happy people in the world, but rather that they don't get there by pursuing it!
What?
Yep, the way to lasting happiness is NOT to seek it out. Don't worry about happiness, worry about establishing... yep, a deep and abiding relationship with the G^d of the Universe.
Yep, you've read all this before, but I stand behind it. It is true. "For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]." Matt 16:25
and this leads to one of my favorites right after, " 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success, me>> happiness], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Indeed!
I am NOT a psychologist, nor do I know anything about such matters, but I suspect this is a KEY time for depression. Likewise, I know nothing of the cause or treatment of depression. But I never let my personal ignorance stand in the way of having a definitive opinion! And neither do many others.
There is much emphasis in our culture on happiness. There are many folks looking for fulfillment in presents, parties, and possessions. These things never meet our needs. Our pursuit of happiness takes us far and wide, and consumes much of our attention.
As I have written before, this is NOT wise. "Life is tough, and it's tougher if you're stupid", attributed to John Wayne, is true. We suffer at our own hands, or at the hands of our expectations. Our pursuit of happiness is pretty much a fool's errand. Not that there are some genuinely happy people in the world, but rather that they don't get there by pursuing it!
What?
Yep, the way to lasting happiness is NOT to seek it out. Don't worry about happiness, worry about establishing... yep, a deep and abiding relationship with the G^d of the Universe.
Yep, you've read all this before, but I stand behind it. It is true. "For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]." Matt 16:25
and this leads to one of my favorites right after, " 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success, me>> happiness], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Indeed!
Love this!
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