October 23

On Happiness

“Seek not happiness first; seek Christ first, and happiness shall come after. 196.255 Nothing beneath the skies, and nothing above the skies, can make any man happy apart from God, search as you will. Apart from God you may make a hell, but you cannot make a heaven, do what you please.” (1305.419)

“Unless you can tell why you are happy you will not long be happy.” (1719.254)

“People who are very happy, especially those who are very happy in the Lord, are not apt either to give offence or to take offence.” (2405.133)

“Be happy. If the present be dreary, it will soon be over. Oh, but a little while, and we shall be transferred from these seats below to the thrones above! We shall go from the place of aching brows to the place where they all wear crowns, from the place of weary hands to where they bear the palm branch of victory, from the place of mistake and error and sin, and consequent grief, to the place where they are without fault before the throne of God, for they have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (2405.142)