Friday, January 9, 2009

We Have No 'Right to Happiness'

Believe it or not, but this piece of writing plays a large role in the world today. So many people walk around with their head held high thinking that they have a right to happiness. I have to admit that I too have this attitude. It is important to stop and think about how far this 'right' is to be taken. We have the right to moral rights, and legal rights, but a fine line must be drawn between the two. We need to be able to set boundaries when we are using our right to happiness. Lewis talks about the difference between the two. Just because we have a right to be happy doesn't mean we have the right to commit suicide, or lead someone to commit suicide. 

Our happiness is NOT about us. We are not able to control our circumstances, its God's will. We have the opportunity to decide where and how we are going to apply God to our life situations, but we need to remember that our purpose is to praise him, not to be happy. God has let us be happy through His grace. In order use this gift of happiness we must remember to not let others influence the way we feel, when we let others influence us our happiness is beyond our control.

In class we talked about happiness and marriage. The right of happiness plays a large role in how a marriage will work, happiness in a marriage is our choice. If we do not get up each and every day and make the decision to to happy and stay happy and in love, then we wont. Love leads to a marriage and you continue to love your spouse because you are married and happiness follows. However, we need to be careful about entering into an unfaithful marriage. An unfaithful marriage can lead to unfaithfulness in other areas of our lives such as work, friends, and school. We need to use our 'right to happiness' with caution. 

1 comment:

  1. Dear Briana,
    Faithfulness: What an infinite concept! You are so right… It start with little things, such as being in time for class, doing your homework, keeping your little promises so you can learn to maintain the significant ones. Each step leading up to the next… Be faithful as in Mathew 25 (I found this power point that may encourage you! http://www.hicc.nl/downloads/06jul2008.pdf)
    as for Shalom and love, I guess the best way to put it is by using the expression, when Aslan refers to the queen in the magician’s nephew, on why she lost the battle at the stone table 'if she had know the deeper magic from before time'… I.e. God’s law refers to a ‘deeper truth’ written before all time: If you make others happy by loving them, and as such serve God you will be truly happy…
    Adriana & Paulo

    ReplyDelete