Happy New Year!

Happiness is something universally sought after. It is no surprise that we begin the New Year by greeting one another, “Happy New Year!” Even our Declaration of Independence sees the pursuit of happiness as one of our God-given, unalienable rights, along with life and liberty.

But how many people are truly happy? Notice what our Declaration of Independence promises: the pursuit of happiness, not happiness itself. Even a great nation like ours cannot guarantee happiness for any of its citizens. Happiness is as elusive in America as anywhere else: millions of Americans take anti-depressant medications.

Why? There's no shortage of voices telling us what would make us happy. According to Tim Keller, we are bombarded with the message, "You will be happy when you look good, feel good, and have the goods." Consider how much time and money we spend to look good, feel good, and amass more goods! Are we happy as a result?

We all have experienced the short-lived excitement of “having the goods.” Like a black hole, our hearts keep on asking for more, never fully satisfied. There's something about our hearts that cannot be satisfied with material goods. Maybe this is not just because we are greedy. Maybe our hearts are too noble to be satisfied with the stuff that can be bought with money. We need something more substantive.

True happiness must be more than "looking good" as well. Beauty can be stunning. But it’s also "only skin deep" and the wrinkles set in all too quickly. My children find it hard to believe that their grandmas were once young, beautiful girls. Their grandmas themselves cannot believe what they see in the mirror. "The grass withers, the flower fades," (Isaiah 40:8) and so does our youth and its beauty. Our happiness requires something deeper and longer-lasting.

How about "feeling good"? It is hard to imagine being happy without feeling good. But feelings are fickle and fleeting. They go through hundreds of changes a day, depending on what’s happening to and around us. We need something more constant to be truly happy.

How would you fill in the blank? Happiness is _____________! Jesus begins His "Sermon on the Mount" this way: "Blessed [or, happy] are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). As you can see, what He says about happiness is quite radical.

Jesus is not saying that poverty makes people happy. He is not speaking of poverty in possessions but poverty in spirit. Being poor in spirit doesn't mean having low self-esteem, having a weak will, or being a loser. Rather, it refers to that condition of mind, which longs to be filled with "the kingdom of heaven"—something much better than this world of change and decay! The poor in spirit recognize the haunting deficiencies of this world to truly satisfy their souls—even with the very best it has to offer.

This is so because, as Pascal said, God placed a God-shaped void in our hearts. When things and people disappoint us, is it wise to think that more of them can satisfy us? How many more disappointments must we go through to realize that only God is big enough to fill that black-hole-like void in our soul? Our disappointments in life are God's invitation to Himself, who alone can truly satisfy us.

Jesus Christ came to restore us to God, the Fountain of true happiness. He couldn't just teach us the way back to God, however. A criminal cannot be truly happy until his guilt is cleared. So, Jesus had to suffer and die in our place to pay the penalty for our sins (wrongdoings). By His sacrifice, He releases sinners from enmity with God. God forgives and accepts those who trust what Jesus has done for them. They can approach God without fear of condemnation and receive the everlasting enjoyment of true happiness. May you have a truly happy new year by trusting in Jesus Christ, through whom you have access to God, the Fountain of eternal blessedness!