God is the ultimate source of all things good. But because He is invisible, we people usually make what is visible to us the source of our happiness and joy: our spouses, families, careers, possessions, churches, and all that we have. Frankly, all of these things will not sustain our joy.
The Bible tells us that everything that is seen is passing and will soon fade. Consider 2 Corinthians 4:18, which says "the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." Everything we strive to maintain or make happy just so that we would be happy as well won't last!
Friendships won't last
Friends are a good thing, but they won't last forever and are not a good source of lasting happiness and joy. Proverbs 17:17 might say, "A friend loves at all times." But we should also remember that there are times when friendships are tried. Consider the Lord Jesus who experienced being abandoned and denied by His beloved disciples who He cared for.
Careers won't last that long
Some of us find our joy and happiness in our careers. After all, we all want to be successful and able to have a few bucks in our bank accounts, right? But when the time comes when we are unable to work anymore, we will find that our happiness and joy that is rooted in our careers disappear, too (see Ecclesiastes 12).
Marriage won't last forever
Our marriages sure are amazing. Our spouses are gifts from the Lord, and they are indeed awesome. But when we make them our source of happiness and joy, we will soon find that our source is unable to supply all we need!
Our spouses aren't perfect, and will have their bad days once in a while. They have their imperfections and flaws as much as we do. And even if we're totally happy with our spouses, we won't be with them forever because death will take us apart someday (see Mark 12:25; Matthew 22:30; Romans 7:2). We have to put our joy in a more powerful source.
God will last forever
The Bible states that God is eternal and He will last forever. In fact, He's not bound by time – time is bound by Him! If we root our happiness and joy in Him, we can be sure to be happy and joyful through and through, simply because our God is steadfast and He remains forever.
Friends, I urge you to make God the ultimate source of all happiness and joy. Make His Word your delight and His will your food (see Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:16, 47; John 4:34).
