I'm Supposed to be HAPPY but I'm NOT

I've been reading A.W. Tozer's book "The Attributes of God" and it's been changing my life. My wrong mindset of God is thrown out the window and my faith is growing by the day. The premise of the book is that "accurate view of God changes the way we live our lives". For a week now, I'm still in the second chapter. I'm stuck with it this week. I can't move on to reading unless I'm sure I truly understood and lived it out.

The second chapter, in a nutshell, is about why we Christians are unhappy. Of course, many will say, "I'm not unhappy. I'm good. I have God and I'm good." Ok, so I guess this post is not for you. Goodbye, have a nice day. :) This post is for those who want to be brutally honest with themselves and admit that yes, "I'm a Christian and yet unhappy, and I wonder why. Should I backslide now?" Haha.

Think with me. What makes you happy? What makes your day? What gives your soul a lift?

I answered these questions and guess what, my answers were much like the same as yours. These are what make me happy:

• consistent attention from this special someone. (yihee!) and God, of course.
• kilig moments with my crush (haha, grade schooler ba at crush level pa rin?) and God.
• affection and love I feel from my relationship with this particular friend. and God.
• money to do what I want, WHEN I want it. and God.(I'm a Christian, remember?)
• my family. and God.
• my circle of Christian friends. and God.
• my job. and God.
• fruitful small group and other ministry I'm involved in. and God.

Many Christians are unhappy because we have set our hearts on things.
The same things that make us happy are the same things and people that make our souls dry, sad, frustrated and empty - continually longing.

We have set our minds on things, allowed them to give us security, and comfort and have just professionally added God as a bonus. God makes things more colorful, more beautiful, more fun. We have just added God to our list of things and people. We have put God as a plus sign after something else.

Let me echo Tozer's words: "We multiply, we increase, and still we're anxious and unsatisfied. Why? Because all that is beneath God will not satisfy us. You're made in the image of God and nothing short of God will satisfy you. Over the years you will find that you are not content with "things plus God". You'll have to have GOD minus all things.

As soon as I set my hopes and comforts upon things and people I'll lose something out of my heart. It dare not be things and God, it dare not be people and God: it must be God and nothing else.

Need I say more? One can just imagine how this truth, or this slap in my face brought me to my knees and changed my prayer to "Lord, I'm sorry for allowing this person and these things to share Your place in my heart. Now, Give me Thyself, for nothing less than Thee will satisfy me."

This song captured my heart's desire. Hope you get something out of it as well. :)