Resources by Topic: Happiness

Randy shares about God's perspective of true happiness from Philippians chapter 3, and the contrast with prosperity theology. (17 minutes)

Randy shares about God's perspective of true happiness from Luke chapter 6, and the contrast with prosperity theology. (32 minutes)

In this audio clip, Randy discusses the question of whether we should be concerned with our own happiness or God's happiness. 

In this audio clip, Randy Alcorn talks about pursuing happiness. For more information, please visit: http://store.epm.org/happiness/

That’s a great question. I think there’s a couple of different strategies. 

David tells us that in God's prescence is the fullness of joy and pleasures unceasing. From this Randy Alcorn argues that Christians are supposed to seek pleasure - in God that is. This Christian hedonism says, "I want to find all the joy in God I can find." And I will sacrifice lesser, immediate pleasures in order to pursue God. This video clip was excerpted from Randy's Eternity 101 DVD class.

We know that Christ is our greatest joy. But Paul tells us that God giving us His son provides the opportunity to give us all things. It is not quite biblically accurate to say that Christ is our only treasure. Rather he is our primary, ultimate treasure who enables us to receive secondary treasures from God. This video clip was excerpted from Randy Alcorn's Eternity 101 DVD class.

Randy Alcorn quotes Jonathan Edwards who asserted that what we see of God in others will bring us the greatest delight. God is our greatest "happy making sight." Seeing Him is our greatest pleasure. This is what it means to be blessed. However, we must remember that when we are in sin, seeing God will not make us happy, but rather terrified by His greatness. This video clip was excerpted from Randy's Eternity 101 DVD class.

Blaise Pascal wrote this, and I think it’s very insightful: "All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end."

Scripture makes it clear that God is the ultimate source of happiness. Our problem is when we start seeking happiness in things that are secondary instead of primary.  

The infinite abyss in our hearts, which might be called a vacuum, can only be filled by the infinite God Himself. We still have a trace of an ancient happiness that was in the hearts of Adam and Eve, a happiness which preceded sin and was ruined by it. But it was not utterly destroyed. Its mark is still upon us, and one day, when redemption is fully realized, God will fan it into flames again, never to be quenched.