The Search for Happiness

Sin and sorrow are tightly intertwined, forming unbreakable chains; thus, as one’s engagement in sin intensifies, so does their experience of misery. This principle is reflected in the characterization of the devil as the most miserable being in the universe due to his extreme depravity.

Conversely, there exists an inseparable connection between holiness and happiness. God, being the most happy being in the universe, is attributed this quality because of His supreme holiness. Similarly, the happiness of His followers is directly proportional to their likeness to Him in righteousness and true holiness.

Heaven is described as a realm of supreme happiness because it is characterized by supreme holiness. In contrast, hell is portrayed as a realm of supreme misery, as sin is fully developed there.

God has structured our comfort and happiness in this world to be attainable only through a pious life. Throughout human history, humanity has ardently hunted for happiness. Despite persistent efforts across various ages and lands, the prevailing sentiment has been one of disappointment, encapsulated in the realization that “all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” Seeking happiness in the pursuits and objects of this world is likened to searching for luscious grapes at the icy North Pole.

Yet, in the likeness and service of Christ, a different kind of happiness is found—pure, uplifting, enduring, and inexhaustible. This happiness accompanies individuals in all conditions, across all lands, and even into all worlds.

The primary cause of sadness and depression among followers of Christ stems from the modest degree of their piety. Their despondency arises from following the Lord from a distance. A single uncrucified, unrepented sin not only erases all pious enjoyment but also opens the soul to the devil and his entire array of guilt and misery. The nature of the sin matters little; any habitually indulged sin, whether it be pride, malice, backbiting, covetousness, dwelling on unholy thoughts, or murmuring under adverse providences, will exclude all pious enjoyment from the soul.

Ultimately, the great secret to being happy is to be holy. The individual who grows in practical piety has unlocked a myriad of sources of true bliss. The “golden fruit of happiness” grows only on the “tree of holiness,” and seeking happiness in any other way is a futile endeavor.

-Cornelius Tyree, from, “The Moral Power of a Pious Life” (updated for today’s reader)