True Happiness
I have grown up in Western culture, which encourages us to search for the dream inside ourselves and strive for it. In many ways I have achieved that success. I have worldwide attention for my work. I am happily married to a lovely wife and have two successful children, who I am proud of. I have a lovely home and successful career. And yet, does any of that really satisfy? Materialism makes us give one’s all, for just that little bit more. Surely that will make us really happy! The little fame I have experienced has taught me how addictive it can become, looking for the next bit of reassurance that I matter and won’t be forgotten when I die.
The world around us feeds you with these false formulas:
Performance + accomplishments = significance
Status + recognition = security
Appearance + admiration = acceptance
As someone who’s had a taste of most of that, I can promise you that they tickle your pride, but they never satisfy it. The Bible warns us
Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Where your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will be. Matthew 6:19-21 NLT
I find my significance, security and acceptance from my relationship with Jesus. God loves me, not for what I do, even for him. I don’t and can’t earn his love and acceptance - I already have it, and he thinks I’m wonderful! He knows all about my short-comings & I can’t hide anything from him. He wants me to come to him as I am, warts and all. But he doesn’t want me to stay as I am. I invited his Holy Spirit to be my helper and guide. He helps me to negotiate the challenges of this life. Believe me, I’ve had plenty of challenges in illness and trouble and I’ve experienced doubt when I couldn’t feel God’s presence, when life was cruel and bleak. But God has rescued me from depression and helped me through trouble. He gives me true joy and purpose for life. You may think that I’m brain-washed, religious nutter? I don’t care what you think of me! The only opinion I care about is what God thinks about me and he showed me that he loved me enough to suffer and die for me. He took the punishment for the selfish things I have done and do. He helps me to be a ray of hope & joy in this world, when I allow him to. But it’s a daily choice of whether I look after my own interests or what I believe he wants me to do. It’s a journey and I’m hopefully always learning. All God want from me is to be the Andy Belsey he created me to be. We’re all unique and beautiful to God. He wants to help you too. If you want to know more, please ask me andybelseymodels@hotmail.com