In Pursuit of Happiness

"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."

Declaration of Independence

We've just finished up Missions Awareness Week at my church. The messages were excellent, and there was much food for thought in them. I've really been thinking about what it is that I'm pursuing these days. Certainly I want to be happy, whatever that means for me - but is my pursuit of my happiness causing me to stumble in, what should be, my pursuit of God and Holiness?

I hadn't thought about the quote from the Declaration of Independence for a long while...until our speaker mentioned it. I often think about the quote from Philippians 3:12-14. But in looking at and thinking about my life, I would say that it's likely that others would think I pattern my life after that "pursuit of happiness" rather than "pressing toward the goal". That realization makes me very sad. I'm not sure how to convey all that I heard during these recent messages. I simply can't express all that it's made me feel...I can only say that I need to re-think some things. I need to pray about some things too!

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14