Waking up on a cold January morning, smelling bacon cooking and knowing it will be accompanied by scrambled eggs, rye toast, and a big pot of very strong black tea. It doesn’t take much to make me happy. Except that scenario reminds me of one of the Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.

Screwtape is a senior tempter instructing his nephew Wormwood how to bring a young man to damnation. In one letter he advises Wormwood to consult with Glubose who has charge of tempting the man’s mother. His mother always wants the least thing to make her happy. “Please, all I want is a cup of tea weak but not too weak and the teeniest weeniest bit of really crisp toast.” The problem? She never gets exactly what she wants.  No one can do things properly to suit her. Poor unhappy lady.

People whose happiness depends on others doing what they want are the unhappiest people of all. Happiness can not depend on other people. What does happiness depend on? Jesus gave an answer. 

Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! 
Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!   Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! 
Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God! 
Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children!  
(Matthew 5:5-9, Good News Bible)

The way to happiness isn’t in other people, it is in us as we follow Jesus.

Read Psalm 128:1 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne