The three things that are essential to life. The most important things that God cares about in our spiritual life with Him. Some people say God doesn’t care about your happiness-only your holiness. The Word of God teaches us that without holiness no one will see the Lord. How can you be happy without living holy? However many churches will strive to get their congregations to strive for holiness so hard that they become legalistic. Remember it all flows from the relationship with your Heavenly Father. Because we are spiritual beings, true life comes from deep within the spirit of man. Being made spiritually alive comes when you become one with God (as Jesus was one with His Father-hence follower of Christ). Because of our inherited sin nature, we are by nature spiritually dead till we come to God in repentance and faith and plead the blood of Christ over our fallen natures. In Him we are made whole, though we have to work it out in daily reliance upon the One true & living God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can experience the freedom that God calls us to enjoy The freedom that comes from not being burdened by the cares of life; i.e.; work, relationships, even religious duties. It will all flow naturally as we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and give up trying to establish our own. In the pursuit of happiness (not the movie), it has been observed that the happiest people are those that know what they want out of life and go after it at all costs. True inner peace depends on where God is at in the process. People that view God as being restrictive and controlling don’t have a very joy-filled walk with the Lord and often struggle with mental illness issues and even self-medicate on alcohol, drugs, and even sex. Controlling a relationship on earth destroys a relationship. Therefore, if we are to have a relationship with our Abba (Father) we have to recognize that He gives us free will to make our own choices but He wants to lead, guide, and direct our lives just like any other good parent. We don’t give up our free will when we come to Him; our will becomes one with His. The closer we get to Him the more we learn about Him and consequently about ourselves and what we truly want out of life. Anything that is an idol and doesn’t point to Him, He makes us give up for His glory.
Go after God and seek His Face,
Bro. E