happiness

So small things can make us happy again.
Maybe it’s a letter with two sentences, maybe just a warm
tap on our shoulder. Maybe we just heard an encouraging
word from a stranger; ate a cake; maybe the sun was shining.
Even though happiness is not the main goal in life,
it definitely is a very rewarding feeling.
When Jonah had experienced the painful experiences of
running from God, he still was very emotional and
short-sighted in his judgments. He was trying to justify
his disobedience. He was angry at God.
God made him a plant to cover him in the heat of the day.
Jonah was so happy. The next day God prepared a worm
to eat up the plant. Then Jonah was angry and miserable again.
These were small things. God taught Jonah not to miss the big
things by depending on the small things for happiness.
The small things might be there or might not.
We enjoy them and minister to others with them.
A cancer patient is happy with the flowers you brought her,
but if she doesn’t have any deeper hope in her life, the
flower happiness will not last for a long time.
When small things connect with the love of God, they
are an incessant source for joy and motivation in our life.
“Happy is the man who doesn’t condemn himself in what
he approves.” Rom.14:22
He has found the bigger picture.