For me, happiness is mainly about peace. There's also happiness that comes with events,
things that happen, emotions of happiness, which we don't necessarily choose.
Those are things that happen around us and I have a response of happiness.
But there is a deeper joy that is stable,
that comes from the peace that I have in my heart,
and it is a peace that comes from knowing that God cares for me.
I believe His Word, I believe His promises.
I know He's taking care of me. I know He has plans for me.
I know He has forgiven me, and He's helping me to do His will.
And, it's that conviction and that peace that is completely unaffected
by the circumstances around me that make me so happy when I go to bed at night.
And, the other very big part of happiness for me is thankfulness,
which is also something that I choose. It's something stable.
It's something that does not need to be affected by my circumstances.
So, for me, although I also enjoy happy emotions, and I'm very thankful for blessings that come,
and people I love, and a sunny day,
I'm not dependent on the sunny day.
Because the peace that is underneath all of that can't be taken away.
There are definitely times of loss, times of testing, times when things very much don't go my way.
And there are no bubbly feelings, no emotions of joy at that time.
But, I can nonetheless, in my heart, have peace and thankfulness.
And that gives me an undercurrent of joy that is not touched by the current test,
or trial, or conflict; whatever it might be that I'm facing.
And I think every person goes through times when we don't have those happy emotions.
"Choose happiness" doesn't mean that I get to choose emotions,
but it does mean that I hold on unshakably
to my confidence in God and in His Word,
and through that peace, I have a happiness that is deeper.
Thankfulness is a big way to happiness. It's a real path for me.
Thankfulness is often a choice.
There can be things that happen that is not the way I would choose it.
And yet, I choose how I respond to it, and for me,
thankfulness has become a real solution. It's a key.
I can realize I'm in the situation and there's something I really don't like.
Maybe it's people that it's not natural for me to get along with,
or maybe I'm separated from people that I really love,
and then I get to choose how to respond to it. And I'm so thankful
for having learned that I can choose to thank God for what He is doing in me
and knowing I'm in His hands, and I can do what He's given me to do with all my heart.
And when I do that, I come to happiness.
I believe it's possible to always be happy
when I think of happiness as that peace and thankfulness.
Because that is a determination in my own heart,
and it is not dependent on any of my circumstances.
So it is not possible to always be superficially bubbling and happy.
There are dark days where we're tested.
The "evil day" is a phrase that we read in God's Word.
But it doesn't mean that I come out of rest, or out of joy in my confidence in God.
I realized that my happiness can also grow, the more I'm aware of what would take it away.
Complaining thoughts, comparing myself to other people, discontentment in any way, fear, anxiety –
are all thoughts that come to me very naturally, but take away my joy.
So the more I'm equipped and prepared, I'm armed with God's Word, and I'm praying in my thoughts,
I'm aware that these things are going to come, then I can resist them when they come!
And then, I keep my joy. So, it is always possible to keep my joy.
I can rejoice always. But I have to be aware and alert of the things that want to take it away.
I can find this unshakable happiness when I simply choose
to believe God's Word is true for me.
When I believe He loves me absolutely; I believe He has plans for me.
They're not complicated. It's about doing the best I understand with what's right in front of me.
Then I go to bed at night, and I have this peace,
and I know God is for me, He's following along, He's interested in me.
And that peace is more valuable than any bubbly emotions.
So, even if things are going against me right now, and there are a lot of things to learn,
a lot of tests, and a lot of things we face, especially when we're very young,
but I can have that belief and peace in the depths of my heart.