I had a friend who once told me that we were meant to be happy here on earth. That we were never supposed to be sick or hurt, and that if we had enough faith, we never would be. I have another who’s unsure that we are meant to be happy here at all. This life is finite and temporary, full of struggle and growth, and moments of joy. But not happiness.

I think the truth is somewhere in between those two beliefs.

Because I’m often happy. But I’ve been sick and hurt. I’ve broken bones and lost loved ones. I don’t think having more faith would have kept my loved ones with me longer. And I don’t think my cancer was caused by a lack of faith. It was my faith that kept me happy on that journey. And I’ve seen so many blessings in my life and in others’ as a direct result of that journey.

I think happiness isn’t based on external circumstances. Rather, it’s based on knowing who I am and knowing why I’m here, and liking both. It’s a contented confidence with a splash of fun. It’s being appreciated by and useful to the Creator of the universe. It’s understanding that sometimes life will absolutely suck, but trusting that somehow God is still in control and working on that amazing end result. It’s having friends that you know will come running every time you ask, and being that friend. And it’s knowing when to stop and curl up with a book by the fireplace with the phone set to silent. That’s happiness.

So I want to ask: Are you happy?

If you are, smile. Tell the world. Share the joy.

If you’re not, why not?

What’s wrong? What needs to change? If you can change it, change it. If you can’t, have a seat and talk with God about it. Then listen and let Him talk with you about it. And if I can help, send me an email. I’d give you my phone number, but we all know my phone’s on silent…

I’ll end with my favorite earworm:

“La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, Don’t worry, la, la, la, la, la, la, Be happy, la, la, la la, la, la, Don’t worry, be happy!”