Where Happiness Stays
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-22)

A person who does not want to be happy is nowhere to be found. Even though we have far better environment than ever before from a materialistic point of view, we do not seem to be happy that much. It is evidenced by the fact that we have the highest rate of dysfunctional families and suicide rate among the OCED member countries. It means that materialistic wellbeing does not make us happier than before.
To gain happiness, we ought to change our hearts and mind. Unless we take away hatred, anxiety, and fear from our hearts and fill them with joy and thanksgiving, we cannot have a heart filled with happiness.
Joy is the messenger for happiness. A person whose heart is filled with joy will be led to a world of happiness though he is not materialistically happy.

1. Jesus who is the source of happiness
: A woman by the well
1) In meeting with Jesus, she earned joy and enjoyed happiness.
- She met with Jesus, the source of living water, by the well in a town of Sychar in Samaria
2) What makes us grow apart from Jesus?
- When we do not forgive our neighbors, hatred makes us drift apart from Jesus, take away joy from our heart, and happiness disappears.
3) Losing hopes and dreams, joy also die away from us.

2. When we realize the meaning of the suffering of Jesus
1) Me and the five-fold gospel and three-fold blessings
2) When we are with the Holy Spirit, the Counselor

3. When we do what pleases Jesus
1) When we love Jesus
2) When we share what is good with our neighbors

Gaining happiness has become the overall purpose of human lives. The purpose we try to achieve behind politics, economy, and social affairs is gaining happiness. However, only a handful of humans or groups enjoy happiness.