Last year I had the privilege of talking to a group of high schoolers about happiness. I love young people and enjoy spending time with them, so it was a pleasure to bring them a message I feel is of utmost importance for people of all ages.

When I was 15 years old, I came to faith in Christ. I discovered that a lot of my unhappiness had been due to my sin and separation from God, and that when I came into a relationship with Jesus, my life was infused with a happiness I’d never felt before.

Now, have I been happy every moment since then? Of course not. In Scripture, Paul talks about the fact that we’re sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10). What we always have to rejoice in—what does not change—is the love of God for us. Romans 8 says that Jesus gave His life for us, and is going to transform the world itself and not only us, but all who have faith in Him. It says that we’re more than conquerors through Him who loved us. It says nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ, and that God loves us and causes all things to work together for good for those who know and love Christ and are called according His purpose.

My challenge to the students was this: Satan, your sin nature, and the world are going to try to convince you that you can’t find happiness in Christ. We need to counteract that with the understanding that God Himself is the primary source of all happiness in the universe. When we try to find happiness outside of God, the closest we can get is just a small taste of it.

Here's the video of my message. You can also read the full transcript.

photo credit: Nick Miller via Unsplash