Happiness is not a right

It seems as though there is a growing theology of sorts..."You have the right to be happy." It is heard everywhere.

"Whatever makes you happy, honey."

"All I want is to be happy."

"God would want you to be happy."

What??

In my search to understand God's view on happiness, I have found a few Scriptures.

Job 5:17
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:KJV

John 13:16-17
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.KJV

James 5:10-11
Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure.KJV

1 Peter 3:14
But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;KJV

It seems that happiness has nothing to do with getting what we want in this world. Happiness is a byproduct of holiness, of righteousness, of suffering in the name of Christ. Sure, God may genuinely want us to be happy, but not at the expense of holiness.

A.W. Tozer noticed the same obsession for happiness. and on page 37 of a collection of his essays titled The Price Of Neglect, he writes:

"The doctrine of man's unalienable right to happiness is anti-God and anti-Christ."

On page 38 of the same book:

"How far wrong all this is will be discovered easily by the simple act of reading the New Testament through once with meditation. There the emphasis is not upon happiness but upon holiness. God is more concerned with the state of people's hearts than with the state of their feelings. Undoubtedly the will of God brings much final happiness to those who obey, but the most important matter is not how happy we are but how holy."

As I seek happiness, I find despair, disappointment and an unquenchable thirst for more happiness. It becomes a drug, requiring more of whatever I perceive will bring relief for my lack of happiness and a hatred for those that I feel are hindering my ability to aquire it. If I think a new dress will make me happy, I am soon unsatisfied with it and think that I need a new sewing machine instead...and woe to the one that hints that I don't need one. If I was convinced that being married or having a child would bring lasting happiness in and of itself, I would be sorely disappointed. If I thought that I would be happy if everyone agreed with me and shared my viewpoints, I will soon faint from exhausion from trying and become embittered by my "right to be understood". Our society is full of such scenarios, full of disillusionment, heartache, and a trail of pain. Out entitlement society is poisoning Christ's Bride, feeding us a line that we "deserve more"...more respect, more comforts, more pats on the back, more money, more security. Satan is loving it.

As I seek Christ, His righteousness, His holiness, and obedience to His Word, happiness, deep joy and peace come regardless of my circumstances in this world. I could be the poorest person on earth with no socks for my feet, no pot to cook in and no roof over my head, being hunted because of my faith and still be thankful and content knowing that God will never leave me nor forsake me and this world is not my home. My focus is not on me, it is on HIM. That is where I long for my focus to consistently be.