"Happiness is a Choice"

As a reporter for The New York Times, John Leland spent a year hanging out with a small group of seniors 85 and up detailing their lives for a series of articles.

Those articles morphed into his latest best seller, Happiness Is A Choice You Make, a book everyone seems to want. Why? Apparently, those old folks have a secret the rest of us need: How to be happy.

"One of the paradoxes of old age is that for all the idealization of youth, people are actually happier when they get older," Leland said.

Wait...what?

According to Leland, studies show 80-year olds are more content that those in their 20s. "Older people see a short time in front of them so they will concentrate on things that are pleasing to them in the moment."

The bottom line according to Leland? You can learn from those who have been around the block a few times and recognize that happiness is a choice you make.

Hugh Whelchel of Theology 101, gives the Biblical definition of true happiness: "In the Old Testament, the word ashre means "well-being", "flourishing", and "happiness". This word is most often translated into English as "blessed".

Ashre is used throughout the Psalms and Proverbs to describe the happy state of those who live wisely according to God's design.

The same formula for ashre is used in the New Testament with the word makarios, the Greek equivalent of ashre.

In Matthew, the Beatitudes could easily read: "Blessed/Happy/Flourishing are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10).

Thus, ashre/makarios is making an appeal to true happiness and flourishing through obedience within the gracious covenant God has given to His people.

A wise man once said: "Here is the irony: the less you're concerned about your happiness and the more you're concerned about Him (God), the happier you get. Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither." -- Tim Keller, Christian scholar

"Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what He requires of you, and He will provide you with all those other things" (Matthew 6:33).

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