I’m learning something countercultural: happiness is not found outside of ourselves—in circumstances, achievements, or acquisitions. It must come from within. More specifically, from within the identity God has formed in us.
As Christians, we are taught to humble ourselves, to esteem others, and to understand our place in God’s Kingdom. But we often miss this: our place is not one of worthlessness. God knit us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139), stamped us with His image, and is actively working in union with us to restore us to our original design—a design disrupted in Eden but redeemed in Christ.
Why does this matter?
Because we live in a culture that tells us happiness is just one more purchase, relationship, or achievement away. It’s a lie—an exhausting chase on what psychologists call the Hedonic Treadmill. The faster we run, the more elusive happiness becomes.
But Jesus offers another way: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
What if happiness is not a finish line, but a byproduct of stillness? What if, instead of running harder, we paused—took inventory, named our blessings, celebrated our small wins, and chose to live from the fullness we already have in Christ?
Then we might discover the paradox: when we stop chasing happiness, it quietly finds us. Like a bird landing gently on our shoulder, contentment comes not through striving but through abiding.
And in that stillness, we receive the peace that “surpasses all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
Dave Scott 
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