First off, I am sorry for our absence. At the beginning of this year, I went through something that threw me for a loop and I was in such a funk that I had to put writing on hold for a while. I went through a period of fasting; really leaning into the Lord for direction and took some time to myself to recover my state of mind.
Through this rough patch, I’ve learned from a piece of advice that my father has given to me time and time again:
“Don’t hinge your happiness on someone else.”
Meaning, your happiness should not be based on or invested directly on someone else.
Why?
I’m sure there has been a time in your life where you have been disappointed by someone, whether they are close to you or not.
We are flawed beings and because of this, people will fail you. People will let you down.
This is what I was faced with earlier this year, questioning where I’ve actually placed my happiness. With this advice in mind, I’ve come to the conclusion that I was placing my every hope and ounce of happiness on the status of my relationship, things of this world; things that are temporary. I was distracted and my eyes were not completely focused on my relationship with the Lord.
Just so I am clear, this piece of advice is not meant to discourage you from having relationships with people or to make you feel guilty about being in relationships that give you happiness. In fact, we’re called to build relationships with people. We are called to live in community with one another. We need to be able to trust and depend on other believers which is why God gave us each other; to walk alongside and encourage one another.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near”
Hebrews 10:24-25
Although we are called to walk alongside each other and help build each other up, we are not supposed to place our joy in someone else’s hands.
There is a difference between placing the whole of your happiness on someone, just as human as you are, rather than placing all of your hope and happiness in the Lord. As I said before, people will disappoint you, and you’ll probably disappoint those you’re in relationships with too, whereas the Lord will always give you what’s best for you. It may not always seem that way, for example, the rough patch I went through was NOT FUN whatsoever, but it was a real eye-opener to how much of my time and efforts were going into the things of this world.
There is only one place where your happiness and well-being are absolutely safe and that’s in the hands of our Almighty God.
He will never fail us because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
God gives us this promise:
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
Knowing that He never fails, unlike all of us human beings, we can rest in His promises that He will sustain us.
