True Happiness

 Matt 4:8 “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.” Our temptations normally come from looking at the world and the things in it. The lust of the flesh, and of the eye, with the pride of life, are the topics the devil uses to catch our attention and drag us away.  The devil tempts us when he shows the world and the glory of it, but hides the sin, sorrow, and death which accompanies and overshadows all this glory.  Having everything does not guarantee happiness.  Studies of lottery winners have shown that after the initial glee of winning there is no considerable increase in happiness.  In fact, we’ve all heard the stories of lottery winners whose post-jackpot lives turned sour. There's Jack Whittaker, the West Virginia man who in 2002 won the nearly $315 million Powerball jackpot. Initially, he generously gave millions to charities, including $14 million to start his own Jack Whittaker Foundation. But later, the dream turned to nightmare: A briefcase with $545,000 in cash and cashier's checks was stolen from his car while it was parked outside of a Cross Lanes, W. Va., strip club. His office and home were broken into, he was arrested twice for drunken-driving -- and the list goes on.  Or there's Alex Toth, a Florida man who in 1990 won $13 million to be doled out in 20-year-payments of $666,666. (Seriously.)  At his death in 2008, the Tampa Bay Times reported on the sad direction his life had taken: Years of living it up led to a split from his wife and charges of fraudulent tax returns, among other serious woes.

Where am I looking for my happiness?

Lord, forgive me when I look to the world and what it offers in order to seek happiness.  I know that I am truly happy only when I am found in the center of your will.  Help me to look to you for my happiness. Amen.