Have you ever wondered why the very things we run after seem to evade us? Be it titles, riches, power, and authority- we wear ourselves out in our’ Pursuit of Happiness,’ never exactly reaching ‘there.’
The human mind has long been conditioned to believe that the grass is greener on the other side. As a result, a sense of discontent infects present joys.
No matter how much we have, it never seems enough1.
More, more, more- our hearts cry out until all our needs get confined to a 6-feet box and just enough sand to remember we existed, once upon a time.
However, running the race isn’t half as bad as running for the wrong reasons. Yes, we are all in pursuit of eternal happiness, but the reason why we pursue it (our motive) saves us from becoming a part of a meaningless, mad chase.
3 Keys to Achieving Eternal Happiness
Key #1 Endure in Faith
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Frustration is no new term for most of us. We want what we want ‘now.’ Yet unfortunately, the very things we chase after demand a level of faith and endurance to run the race and complete the laps, regardless of how long it takes to get there.
We don’t need faith to believe something we can see.
The sky is above us, the sun rises and sets at its appointed time, birds fly, fishes swim- no faith is required to believe things that can be perceived by our physical senses.
On the contrary, we need faith to believe what we cannot see!
It is faith that empowers us to pursue our dreams and aspirations despite the limitations posed by our reality. The same faith that encourages a farmer to sow seeds despite potential droughts directs an entrepreneur with limited resources to venture into unknown markets.
Faith is good, but patience is critically needed.
Cause it is easier for a person with lots of patience to hang on despite their little faith than for someone with mountain-moving faith but a seed-sized endurance.
Key #2 Hold on with Grit
Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. (Proverbs 16:32)
The itch to do something right now is unavoidable.
With all the ‘instant’ culture we live in, where things take place at the snap of a finger, delays are almost unforgivable and presumed deterrents to our eternal happiness.
And yet, slow and steady wins the race.
Studies tell us that it’s not the smartest or the quickest who are the most successful in life. Instead, it’s the one with ‘grit‘2 who makes it till the end.
Those with the mindset, ‘I will not give up no matter how tough things get’- are the ones who hold on even in the roughest storms of life, finding happiness in the unimaginable.
I once watched a powerful message shared by Lisa Bevere where she talks about the “grit” factor and how we can make a difference if we just refuse to give up!
If you have a promise from God, hold on to it, no matter what the world says. You have His Word, and He never lies (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18)!
This doesn’t just include the unique set of plans He has laid out for you, but it also refers to every promise (Jeremiah 29:11) of healing, peace, and joy that He has made to His people in the Bible.
So take Him at His Word and stand on it, regardless of what it looks like. Cause all His promises in Christ are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20)!
Key #3 Possess a Kingdom Mindset
The next time you are tempted to think about an area of lack or frustration in your life, remember what Jesus said,
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. (Matthew 6:31-32)
He knows what we need, and the time we need it, and in His divine providence, He will arrange all things together for our good.
Meanwhile, all that we need to pursue isn’t more riches or treasures or titles on earth but the kingdom of God.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Do It with a Golden Touch
Throughout the Bible, God asks His people to seek Him first3. There are multiple instances where we can see how those who were led by His Word prospered even amidst trials.
Be it Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, or Daniel in the lions’ den, none who trusted in His Word and waited on Him were ever put to shame (Psalm 25:3).
What an assurance it is to know that anything we do while led by His Word, His promises, will only flourish!
It is like investing in deposits with exponentially increasing returns, and the good news is you don’t even have to think it all out for yourself. He will show you how it is to be done!
Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. (Isaiah 54:13)
May He give meaning to your pursuit as you seek His kingdom above all else.
In Jesus’s name, Amen.
- https://qz.com/684940/neuroscience-confirms-that-to-be-truly-happy-you-will-always-need-something-more/ ↩︎
- https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-book/ ↩︎
- https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Seeking-God ↩︎
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