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Every human wants to be happy and find happiness. And we seek it out in so many ways and pursue it so relentlessly. But so few truly find this most elusive prize. Those we deem as cruel and greedy and selfish also seek happiness. Some think money brings it, or power, or revenge. Some try all manner of pleasures believing happiness hides itself in physical pleasures of all manner. But happiness is not pleasure nor found therein or thereby. Pleasure though, is often a companion of happiness, when happiness comes first. So one can find pleasure in happiness but not happiness in pleasure. Odd. But true enough. There’s an old country song with this line in it, “Looking for love in all the wrong places!” Same with happiness. So few people seem genuinely happy or content. How are believers to be joyful as we are admonished when joy is even beyond happiness (IMO)? Happiness is a fruit of the spirit led life I think. The secular and material world cannot deliver happiness. It does not come from the outside in – pleasure, money, power. But, rather, it flows from the inside out. Happiness comes from alignment of wills I think….ours with the spirit’s. I wonder too if pessimists can be happy?
“Sure, I’m happy….now. But surely something will happen to ruin it all soon enough….you’ll see!”
I’ve always been blessed with a sunny disposition, a blue skied optimist born and raised. No disappointment, no matter how great (and there’s been so so many) kept me down for long. Why so? How so? Why not all? How do optimists remain so throughout tragedy, deprivation, even horrific situations? And why are some with wealth and no want so unhappy? Sheryl Crowe sang a song – “If it makes you happy, then why the “heck” are you so sad?” Why do some keep doing that which has failed so completely to bring happiness?…the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same dumb thing believing it’ll be different next time! All want to be happy but not so many become so.
I look forward to an investigation into the nature of happiness, its source and purpose. Is it a reward for good choices? Or our natural state? Little children seem so happy. What happens? Where does our early happiness go? How do we get it back? Where is happiness?
(1134.3) 103:5.5 Human happiness is achieved only when the ego desire of the self and the altruistic urge of the higher self (divine spirit) are co-ordinated and reconciled by the unified will of the integrating and supervising personality. The mind of evolutionary man is ever confronted with the intricate problem of refereeing the contest between the natural expansion of emotional impulses and the moral growth of unselfish urges predicated on spiritual insight — genuine religious reflection.
(1097.7) 100:4.3 But the great problem of religious living consists in the task of unifying the soul powers of the personality by the dominance of LOVE. Health, mental efficiency, and happiness arise from the unification of physical systems, mind systems, and spirit systems. Of health and sanity man understands much, but of happiness he has truly realized very little. The highest happiness is indissolubly linked with spiritual progress. Spiritual growth yields lasting joy, peace which passes all understanding.
(1766.6) 159:3.10 You shall not portray your teacher as a man of sorrows. Future generations shall know also the radiance of our joy, the buoyance of our good will, and the inspiration of our good humor. We proclaim a message of good news which is infectious in its transforming power. Our religion is throbbing with new life and new meanings. Those who accept this teaching are filled with joy and in their hearts are constrained to rejoice evermore. Increasing happiness is always the experience of all who are certain about God.
Paper 149 section 5 is Jesus’ answer to Simon about contentment. He states that some people are naturally more happy than others, which I assume has something to do with heredity. We do inherit our basic characters from our parents which we then qualify by our own personalities. Jesus explains that it is the willingness to be led from within which ultimately results in happiness. And this is a character transformation process of spiritual progress.
Happiness is linked to effort, the effort required in the intelligent and enthusiastic pursuit of worthy goals (94:8.17). Spiritual growth and progress yields the highest happiness (100:4.3) ) and spiritual growth requires a life of education. The experiences of life are meant to encourage the inner mind to search for answers, to submit to the spiritual desire for soul-discovery which leads to new and higher ways to satisfy natural and inherited urges (140:4.10). The process is designed to encounter disappointments, occasional doubts and even suffering at times. True contentment only comes from total commitment, a wholehearted consistency in facing the challenges of a spirit-led life.
Jesus made this quite evident during his life. He never complained but accepted his lot, and when knocked down, stood up and carried on with even greater determination. He learned that loyalty to God’s will comes from experiencing, “the thrill of wholehearted and intelligent devotion to duty in the face of temptation to default.”(3:5.17 ) Jesus showed us how to rise again when we fall, how to be faithful and cheerful in the face of difficulties and uncertainty. And I believe that this attitude keeps us attached to the very root of the vine, the source of our true happiness.
p555:3 48:6.24 From them you will learn to let pressure develop stability and certainty; to be faithful and earnest and, withal, cheerful; to accept challenges without complaint and to face difficulties and uncertainties without fear. They will ask: If you fail, will you rise indomitably to try anew? If you succeed, will you maintain a well-balanced poise—a stabilized and spiritualized attitude—throughout every effort in the long struggle to break the fetters of material inertia, to attain the freedom of spirit existence?
(438.2) 39:5.9 In the more advanced planetary ages these seraphim enhance man’s appreciation of the truth that uncertainty is the secret of contented continuity. They help the mortal philosophers to realize that, when ignorance is essential to success, it would be a colossal blunder for the creature to know the future. They heighten man’s taste for the sweetness of uncertainty, for the romance and charm of the indefinite and unknown future.
(291.3) 26:5.3 That, then, is the primary or elementary course which confronts the faith-tested and much-traveled pilgrims of space. But long before reaching Havona, these ascendant children of time have learned to feast upon uncertainty, to fatten upon disappointment, to enthuse over apparent defeat, to invigorate in the presence of difficulties, to exhibit indomitable courage in the face of immensity, and to exercise unconquerable faith when confronted with the challenge of the inexplicable. Long since, the battle cry of these pilgrims became: “In liaison with God, nothing — absolutely nothing — is impossible.”
Thank you Bonita!! So as a child, we are told, happiness derives from physical pleasures – warmth, touch, food, play, discovery – but these childish and child like sources soon pale by the innate “yearning” for love, achievement, progress, growth, and ego-gratification (as opposed to pure physical pleasures). For those endowed by the God fragment and the ministering spirits or even the Mother Spirit and her Adjutants alone, there appears a need for soul satisfaction I think. There becomes personal knowledge of or a feeling of a vacuum to fill, a new need to know more, find more, be more than before. Un-happiness is the frustration of failure to discern or worse yet, to discern (know) but not to so choose and act. The material world becomes less real and satisfying or at least less satisfying even if we remain firmly “attached” to the “reality” of the material realm. This yearning and dissatisfaction may well be the motivation for spirit attachment – to meanings and values rather than facts and cash or possessions.
We are given this dual nature and this duality of realities as a gift the animals do not have. It is the source of science, philosophy, and religion and when directed toward truth, beauty, and goodness or the expression of love of others, it leads to happiness and contentment. But that only through faith that there is nothing to fear, but even more that uncertainty makes life an adventure and disappointment leads to greater efforts in confidence of ultimate outcomes. This I think is the key to happiness, that core feeling of alignment within both natures – the material and the spiritual. Unification of these two in mind leads, eventually, to our place in this world.
So beautifully put Brad. It got me thinking about a quote from Jesus which said that those who live wholly in the flesh and those who live wholly in the spirit do not experience inner conflict. Conflict and confusion only comes to those of us who are struggling to transition between the two levels, as we seek to transfer our seat of identity from one level to the other (159:3.7)
I noticed in my own life that as soon as I embraced the conflict and confusion and understood its significance to growth, that I became a much happier person. There is a tendency for some folks to see the conflict and confusion as a burden inflicted upon them rather than a blessing. Many of my own friends and family suffer from this misconception, and they are, for the most part, miserable.
This reminds me of the talk that Jesus had with Fortune, the downcast and unhappy youth who fled to the mountains. Jesus told him that he could not run away from his unhappy self, that he had to, “Stand up like a man!” (130:6.3) Later, Jesus told his apostles not to offer consolation or sympathy to those who choose to “lie down before their troubles without a struggle.” (159:3.11)
It seems to me that happiness comes to those who enter into the conflict between their two natures knowing that it is a battle that can be won because the Spirit within will not fail them. It is this faith which gives people the courage to plunge into the fray. Timid souls who prefer to languish in their animal natures must lack faith. Jesus was right when he said that many people are weak rather than wicked, distraught more than depraved. (196:2.9)
(42.7) 2:7.6 Intellectual self-consciousness can discover the beauty of truth, its spiritual quality, not only by the philosophic consistency of its concepts, but more certainly and surely by the unerring response of the ever-present Spirit of Truth. Happiness ensues from the recognition of truth because it can be acted out; it can be lived. Disappointment and sorrow attend upon error because, not being a reality, it cannot be realized in experience. Divine truth is best known by its spiritual flavor.
(43.4) 2:7.11 All truth — material, philosophic, or spiritual — is both beautiful and good. All real beauty — material art or spiritual symmetry — is both true and good. All genuine goodness — whether personal morality, social equity, or divine ministry — is equally true and beautiful. Health, sanity, and happiness are integrations of truth, beauty, and goodness as they are blended in human experience. Such levels of efficient living come about through the unification of energy systems, idea systems, and spirit systems.
One might conclude that unhappiness or lack of happiness is a form of universe insanity….? What prevents it? I’m thinking the mind poisons, especially fear, combined with the inherent dissatisfaction and emptiness of material attachments and distractions. Does the material life overwhelm me? Am I always anxious and disappointed? Look for the Spirit in me and in all others. Love leads to happiness I think. The universal secret sauce.
If health, sanity and happiness are integrations of truth, beauty and goodness blended in human experience, then isn’t revelation necessary for health, sanity and happiness? Without the insight of mota, humans are incapable of discerning truth, beauty and goodness in the material world (103:6.13). Revelation is the only technique for atoning for this deficiency (103:6.12). It seems to me that the revelation of truth to the soul (personal revelation) is the source of true happiness and that is because it can be acted out in our material lives (2:7.6), it can become a tangible personal experience of the interrelatedness of all reality.
But here again, like the difference between human philosophy and true philosophy, human religion and true religion, I’m wondering if there is a difference between human happiness and true happiness.
(43.4) 2:7.11 All truth — material, philosophic, or spiritual — is both beautiful and good. All real beauty — material art or spiritual symmetry — is both true and good. All genuine goodness — whether personal morality, social equity, or divine ministry — is equally true and beautiful. Health, sanity, and happiness are integrations of truth, beauty, and goodness as they are blended in human experience. Such levels of efficient living come about through the unification of energy systems, idea systems, and spirit systems.
Bradly I think you have a quote that answers your own question regarding how we can be happy haha.
Such levels of efficient living come about through the unification of energy systems, idea systems, and spirit systems.
In a balanced 3-fold harmony there is happiness, there is personality satisfaction. Energy systems (physical reality), Idea systems (intellectual reality), and spirit systems (spiritual reality). Or as the midwayers call it (Thing, Meaning, Value). In that 3-fold perspective IMO there is genuine human happiness, as opposed to just mere joy and emotion which IMO is what most of the world experiences. IMO when our mind conforms to this 3-fold harmony of cosmic reality our personality which is a harmonizing influence is able to better engage the mindal system. There is more personal character that can manifest in that mind because its able to engage that harmony directly. Someone could have a bias to having a spiritual consciousness, or someone may have a bias towards a material way of looking at things. Both of those prejudices and/or viewpoints will stunt the adjuster from being able to work with the mind.
One might conclude that unhappiness or lack of happiness is a form of universe insanity….? What prevents it?
I don’t think that is the case. “There are many lost souls, not in the theological sense” but philosophically. I think its the fact that no one is instilling a True Philosophy of living that has caused so much unhappiness in the civilized world. But I don’t think the fact that there is so much confusion makes someone insane or anything like that. Whatever level someone finds themselves at is just as good as the level of a 1st circler. In gods eyes there is no difference between what you are becoming and what you are. He loves each of us equally the same and he can see the end from the beginning, he can see us as we are in eternity. He is patient and will wait, its not a race. Its just part of evolution. Even on other planets there is this natural evolutional progression. Its just we are a little delayed.
I don’t know Scott…..God has infinite patience but mortal mind?…not so much. We are told about the mind poisons, that are more than obstacles, or the word poison would not be chosen I think…..poison is more than empty calories….it can kill, either slowly or quickly depending on its consumption rate and volume. Insanity may be the wrong word….but unhappiness is indicative or symptomatic of sickness…..poison sickness. And while a harmonizing and truth centered philosophy adds octane to the believer’s progress, there are many happy souls without benefit of such knowledge or experience I think. Truly happy and quite ignorant souls, and without facts to guide them into the truth of faith.
I’m thinking about unfulfilled yearning and wondering about the effect of this on mind, in addition to the poisons of fear, etc. We are born little pleasure seekers it seems. And many grow old and die still seeking happiness within physical/animal pleasure and yet starving on the lack of nutrition (TB&G) found thereby. The TA creates a yearning that requires response….not a predetermined response but a response nonetheless. Many so addicted to happiness-seeking in physical-pleasure die early in their pursuit by the overindulgence of scratching this “itch”, the unfulfilled yearning, that will not let them rest.
Of course, many of us do find A Way to feed this yearning with living water and many of those fail to form that philosophy you speak of…..and yet find happiness, and truth, and beauty, and goodness. One needs no philosophy to discover, embrace, and grow these realities I do not think. They find love within themselves and within others and they feast and fatten thereon with no cosmology or science or, perhaps, even beliefs or understanding of God….but they feed on His love like monkeys in the fruit filled forest while others gorge on poison mushrooms below. The Master said we progress or we regress by every choice made; so can the poison and the unfulfilled yearning drive us “insane” enough or unhappy enough that we will not drink of the living water…ever?
I hope the happiest people are those who know of Source and Destiny and have certainty and assurance of cosmic citizenship…..we certainly should be the happiest!! Interesting……some text on “yearning”:
(1176.5) 107:0.5 It is the Adjuster who creates within man that unquenchable yearning and incessant longing to be like God, to attain Paradise, and there before the actual person of Deity to worship the infinite source of the divine gift. The Adjuster is the living presence which actually links the mortal son with his Paradise Father and draws him nearer and nearer to the Father. The Adjuster is our compensatory equalization of the enormous universe tension which is created by the distance of man’s removal from God and by the degree of his partiality in contrast with the universality of the eternal Father.
(1766.4) 159:3.8 The world is filled with hungry souls who famish in the very presence of the bread of life; men die searching for the very God who lives within them. Men seek for the treasures of the kingdom with yearning hearts and weary feet when they are all within the immediate grasp of living faith. Faith is to religion what sails are to a ship; it is an addition of power, not an added burden of life. There is but one struggle for those who enter the kingdom, and that is to fight the good fight of faith. The believer has only one battle, and that is against doubt — unbelief.
Things that amuse the mind and body may bring transient pleasure and happiness, but most of this is often quickly forgotten. If you have the courage to look deeply at your own happiness it becomes obvious that lasting peace and contentment only come from a deep sense of security. What gives this sense of security? Looking back at the experiences of my own life, I did not become truly happy until I discovered the presence of the living God within me as a constant companion. My awareness of God’s constant presence gave me confidence and certainty. It was much, much later that I discovered this quote and immediately understood its meaning:
159:3.12 When my children once become self-conscious of the assurance of the divine presence, such a faith will expand the mind, ennoble the soul, reinforce the personality, augment the happiness, deepen the spirit perception, and enhance the power to love and be loved.Everyone knows that physical things will perish, and this brings anxiety. Knowing that there is more than just the physical, both in this life and the next, brings a sense of security. Normal average-minded individuals want to survive. Certainty of survival, and the security that comes with it, is the realization of membership in a family with God as the Father. Fatherhood is not something that can go away. Everyone has a spiritual Father and always will have a spiritual Father, in the same way that they will always have a material father. Not everyone knows this, however. But, it is this fact of “sonship” which gives me the greatest security and happiness.
This is what Jesus taught, sonship with God, which provides for the peace that passes all understanding. If you are certain that you will never be removed from a loving family and that your well-being is safe and secure for all eternity, then how can you not be happy? I would venture a guess that those who are not happy with this realization are not interested in survival, and that is a form of cosmic madness.
If you have the courage to look deeply at your own happiness it becomes obvious that lasting peace and contentment only come from a deep sense of security. What gives this sense of security? Looking back at the experiences of my own life, I did not become truly happy until I discovered the presence of the living God within me as a constant companion. My awareness of God’s constant presence gave me confidence and certainty. It was much, much later that I discovered this quote and immediately understood its meaning:
159:3.12 When my children once become self-conscious of the assurance of the divine presence, such a faith will expand the mind, ennoble the soul, reinforce the personality, augment the happiness, deepen the spirit perception, and enhance the power to love and be loved.
Me here: A brilliant observation Bonita. I heartily concur! Until we can feast and fatten on uncertainty, we tremble at the very certainty of uncertainty. We always act to stabilize our world and our life…or we plunge into chaos….or we learn to TRUST God, or the gods, or fate or some force of destiny and origin. Faith in the paternal nature of Father and in His power, purpose, and plan brings security or eliminates insecurities about uncertainty. It delivers certainty to outcome….not process or daily life. I discovered this truth long before I did the Revelation. We cannot control nor predict without bitter disappointment, discouragement, helplessness, even despair UNLESS we believe and act in faith of God’s presence. We are only here to learn this one thing primarily I think. Trust in God. Security of Sonship. Damn the torpedoes and Fear Not. Courage, real courage, comes only from such confidence, security, and trust in our certain cosmic citizenship in a divine and loving family. Happiness comes thusly too, one of the fruits of faith.
Well said Sister!
Recent events and recent topics here got me to revisit this old thread. I have a dear friend who has lost optimism and the anchor of hope over the past years due to family tragedies and suffering by loved ones that she has endured, and although she worked tirelessly in selfless and loving service, still has this effort really delivered a sadness and heaviness of heart to her own life…which before was so bright and hope filled and anticipatory. I am hopeful for her own recovery from this series of tragedy and resulting grief…
….but I wonder now about how happiness is maintained by believers who also witness the great and real suffering of others?
Sometimes it seems unfair to be happy. Even selfish somehow. Or naive. Puzzling.
But are we not to share our happiness and joy with others? Is this not ministry and testimony of hope and faith and trust?
Jesus knew sorrow….but was not sorrowful. Jesus was joyful. This was a powerful part of his personality and the personal expression of his experience and reality!
I think the teaching about the time unit perspective is important here. We all suffer. Suffering delivers opportunity and value to those who consider its source and its solution. Suffering in the moment is, or can and should be, tempered by two things. One is hope for the relief of suffering to come. And the other is confident faith in eternal destiny and the release from suffering by the embrace of reality. Such relief does however require a perspective and expectation of a future time to come which does not include the sources of our current suffering. If we can grasp the source and cause of suffering and see the end of suffering to come, then we might overcome our suffering to be happy with such knowledge/perspective and joyful according to the measure of our certainty of that future.
Blind optimism is as devoid of meaning and results as is blind pessimism and the doom and gloom perspective of those who do not know and do not trust God to deliver us from evil.
Hmmmmm…..
Keyword search for happiness:
https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book/search?keys=Happiness+&op=Search
For joy:
https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book/search?keys=Joy&op=Search
And joyful:
https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book/search?keys=Joyful&op=Search
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