Stop scrolling searching for and chasing happiness.

Okay, you might be thinking “this lady is nuts, I don’t find happiness when I scroll through social media, I do it because I’m bored!” Hear me out…when we scroll through social media, we’re subconsciously absorbing everything the world is putting out. Social media has connected our world, changed the way we shop, consume the news, and communicate. It’s done a ton of good, but with that comes some downfall.

The issue I find with the social media scroll is that most of the time, people are sharing their highlight reel. You see the “happy” times, the good news, the new outfits, ALL THE GOOD, and not so much of the struggle. Does this mean I wish hard times on people? No, of course not. I think it’s important we all level set our expectations with social media. Understand what you are seeing when you scroll is likely someones highest moments. Behind a smile and a new car, someone could really be struggling with some real issues like depression, addiction, abandonment, who knows! It does you absolutely no good to compare your life or lust after someone’s highlight reel. 

So, how do you avoid this? In a recent sermon, our pastor told us to stop perusing happiness. Yes, you read that right, stop chasing happiness. Why? Because, it is just that…a pursuit (the action of following or pursuing someone or something) of happiness (the state of being happy). Happiness is a state, a temporary, fleeting feeling. Why should we be pursuing something that is temporary?

Let’s apply this to real life. When you find yourself scrolling, and you see so and so has a brand new outfit, do you ever think to yourself, “gosh, it would be so nice to have an outfit like this, that would make me happy!” Or maybe you are doing the scroll, and you see that another friend has gotten engaged while you are still on the market yourself. You probably feel your heart tugging, yearning to find that kind of happiness. This feeling of constant yearning for something exists outside of social media too. Maybe you’re a career gal. And you have big aspirations to get to that next promotion, that next job, sign the next big deal. I’ve been there! I get it! It’s important to have goals. But…what happens when you reach that next step? After the celebrations are done and the realities of your new job set in, you always want more. 

Friends, the happiness found in a new outfit will fade. It will go out of style, rip, become worn, there will always be something else to chase after. Happiness found in marriage or relationship will fade. Harsh? No, it’s true. Putting your happiness in the hands of a partner means that when they don’t live up to your expectations, they disappoint you, or you find yourself disagreeing (it will happen), your happiness is gone. 

If chasing happiness is not the answer, what is?

Joy. More specifically, joy in the lord. Happiness is circumstantial, it is fleeting, it is dependent on outside variables. How does joy differ from happiness? 

This blog post from She Reads Truth, by Sarah Matheny does a good job of explaining joy. The post says,

“Joy is not momentary pleasure—it is the deep and lasting condition of our relationship with God this world cannot steal away. Christ tells us, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:22, NIV).”

In layman’s terms…happiness is tied to our circumstance while joy is not.