Everyone on earth is actually just looking for one thing and that is true happiness. Some people look for it in material things like cars, clothes and houses. The bigger and shinier and prettier, the better, but unfortunately this has nothing to do with true happiness.

Some look for it in fame, but thousands of celebrities live boring lives (or is it suffering?) while real joy escapes them.

True happiness can be found where a person’s dream and God’s dream for people come into contact and you find your place in reality. Real joy is found when people take up their calling in the world and start making a difference.

Sometimes this will be in a faraway place when God has called people to exchange a familiar and safe place to go where few others want to. But most often real joy can be found right there where you live, work and play.

Real joy can be found wherever you go. You can find it right there on your phone. You see, real joy is to immerse yourself in the liberating law of God.

This liberating law of God are the Gospels, Jesus’ message of salvation. It’s a law, because it prescribes what you have to do and also what you shouldn’t do.

Obviously, there are consequences. If you choose not to do the right thing, you will have to bear the painful consequences. But if you choose to study God’s law, to bend down, look down and climb inside the Word of God, and do it, the consequence is true happiness.

²⁵But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.

It’s so simple. We don’t have to spend loads of money and waste our time trying to buy joy on the streets of life – it’s fake.

The answer to where you can find real joy lies in your pocket or handbag. If you still work with paper, the answer is lying on your bedside table or desk.

Make a point of spending enough time in God’s Word every day, especially in the four Gospels. Allow the Gospels to teach you and show you what things pull you away that you have to eliminate from your life, and go and do that.

It is said (Pirkey Aboth) that four kinds of people go to the synagogue:

1. One who goes inside, but doesn’t do anything.
2. One who works, but doesn’t go inside.
3. One who goes inside and works.
4. One who doesn’t go in and doesn’t work either.

I suspect the third person is the happiest of all. May we be number 3 too?

Scripture
James 1:22-27

Reflection
Are you looking for joy?
Do you know where to find it?
Have you found it?

Prayer
Father, how many times do I have to hear these words before I start doing it? The answer is so simple. Why can’t I do it then? Help me to make a determined effort every day to study Your Word and make it real in my world. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.