As we celebrate the 4th of July, we remember the words of the Declaration of Independence that we are endowed by our “Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Unfortunately, today we have a shallow understanding of the pursuit of happiness. We think it means chasing after hedonism, a life of celebration free from pain. For the Founding Fathers, the phrase meant pursuing a meaningful life. We have been given freedom to live a life that brings satisfaction, that what we are doing is worth living for.
The Bible teaches us that it is, “For freedom Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). The freedom that Christ has given us also leads to the pursuit of a meaningful life. When we understand that God loves us so much, we realize that the life He wants us to live is always best for us. We are free to say no to what we think, or the world thinks will give us satisfaction and say yes to the life that God says will be meaningful.
When you buy an appliance, it comes with an owner’s manual. The manual tells you how to use it optimally. The owner’s manual is written by those who bult the appliance. God has given us a manual; it is called the Bible. It was written by the one who created us. He knows how to live the best life because He made us. When we live, the way He wants us to live, we are pursuing happiness.
