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I have never knowingly quoted the eighth century king of Spain, Rahman III, (nothing to do with noodles) but today is the day I change that. The long-lived, greatly-accomplished, much-luxuried monarch reached the grand heights of his imperious career and said this: "I have now reigned about fifty years in victory or peace; beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot - they amount to fourteen."

Dude! Really? Two weeks out of fifty years? You have everything a person could possibly want and the total number of days you were happy is the same as most people’s annual vacation? What’s wrong with you, Rahman (sorry, I mean, “Your Majesty”?)

The problem with happiness is that it can hard to define. For one person happiness is achieving success at work. For another it is finding a loving relationship. For some, it can mean being alone. Some people see happiness as a fleeting thing - rare and fickle - you don't know when it will visit and when it will vanish. For others happiness is a quality that is earned and learned despite personal circumstances. For them, happiness is hard work, but, like all good things in life, it is worth all the sacrifice and effort to attain it.

And then there are those who suffer from clinical depression, for whom happiness is a distant dream, always out of reach due to the malfunctioning of brain chemicals. The pursuit of happiness, says the Declaration of Independence, is an unalienable right of all people. So, what actually is it, and how can we pursue it?

First let's dismiss a myth about happiness. It is not the same as pleasure. Pleasure is a feeling that comes from experiencing nice things. These things are usually related to our five senses. So, we eat ice cream and we feel pleasure, we see a beautiful sunset and we feel pleasure, we hear an inspiring piece of music, smell a gorgeous spring morning, feel the warmth of someone’s hand in ours and the response is the same - pleasure.

Here's where our society has often got it wrong. The message we are frequently presented with is that pleasure and happiness are the same thing. So, we can eat, touch, see, hear and smell our way to happiness. In other words, happiness comes from consuming experiences.

But face it; when Jefferson drafted that phrase about pursuing happiness he did not have the new iPhone in mind. Pursuing material stuff for temporary pleasure is hardly an inspiring vision of mankind's unalienable rights. 

Enter Jesus. In what we call the Beatitudes Christ gave his own recipe for happiness. "Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness." But, wait. These don't sound like ways to be happy. In fact, just the opposite. These are things we try to avoid. Who wants to pursue poverty, broken-heartedness, humility, pain and persecution? Not me. So prove to me that the way of Jesus is actually the way of happiness!

Well, OK. I will. In the last hundred years neuroscience and psychology have produced some fascinating findings into the subject of happiness. Their conclusions are borne out by numerous surveys and by the experience of countless people: Happiness comes from having a purpose in your life, belonging to something bigger than yourself, and serving others in some way. This is true of all cultures, nationalities, and ages. It is by giving that we receive, by being in community with others that we find ourselves, and by pursuing the good of society that we receive contentment. This happiness does not depend on pleasant experiences in life. It can flourish even in the face of great suffering. Pleasure is good. God wants us to enjoy his pleasant gifts. But let's not settle for that. Let's strive to be truly H-A-P-P-Y.