The pursuit of happiness is something EVERYONE takes very seriously. But what are the components of happiness and what does it really require? In Gen. 2:8-25, the Bible describes an environment where, for a time, there was perfect happiness and the various aspects of that environment ought to be of more than passing interest to us, as many would confuse true happiness with momentary pleasure. Let's consider some of the things in the Garden of Eden that were significant to the happiness of Adam and Eve but are often neglected in our post-modern pursuit of happiness. And the reason for traveling to the Garden of Eden for finding means of true happiness is nothing but the unfallen state of man because, after the fall, man has forgotten, abandoned and redefined everything. Therefore, we need to travel to the garden of Eden, the original and sinless state of man.
1. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
God is a “plural” being within Himself. We can think of God only in terms of relationship and fellowship. Cf. Gen. 1:26; Jn. 1:1,2. God intended the prime element of Adam and Eve’s happiness to be found in their fellowship with Him. What must it have been like to walk and talk with God! Cf. Gen. 3:8. Though sin has destroyed the direct fellowship with God that Adam and Eve had, the fellowship with God that is possible through the gospel of Christ is still the prime element in human happiness (1 Jn. 1:3,4). Yet even Christians often think of “religion” and “the pursuit of happiness” as two different things. We may even think of religion as a distraction from our happiness or interference between the two. We rush through happenings that relate to God so we can get on to the things we really want to do. But when we are “walking with God” (Gen. 5:24). We can’t find happiness outside of God.
St. Augustine truly said, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”
St. Augustine truly said, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”
2. FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS
God saw it was “not good that man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). We need fellowship with others of our kind.
This fellowship relates to marriage but is not limited to it. Forces of post-modern life push us into contact with more and more people (FB, Twitter, Smartphones, etc.) but pull us away from intimate relationships with any of them. Too often, we chase happiness at the expense of our relationships. Most of us would agree that people are more significant than things but does our search for happiness show that? It is a rare person who, on his deathbed, does not wish he had spent more time working on quality relationships with other people, and less time working on money, things, etc. So real happiness lies in the relationship with dear ones.
3. FELLOWSHIP WITH NATURE (GOD'S CREATION)
Has any one of us ever wondered by thinking why we long for attachment to nature? It’s a deeper sense of longing that God has lodged in our hearts and we make all possible efforts to achieve it, whether it is vacation, picnic, celebration, or any kind of holiday we want to get attached to nature. However, so-called ‘development’ is gradually making us devoid of the beauty and presence of nature and making us addicts of unnatural (electronics, architecture, hybrid stuff, and whatnot?) If such developments were really necessary for men to be happy then God would never have withheld it from the first man and woman in Eden. In urban culture, most of us have less and less contact with nature. But we need contact with nature with the earth, the wind, the water; with animals and plants; with the weather; with soil things God created. (Ps. 111:2).
There is a primal joy that comes from being in touch with the environment that God made it is a source of healing and strength, and we neglect it at our own peril. Jesus said, “This Is My Father’s World.”
4. ENGAGING IN WORK
Work does not restrict happiness it is a dynamic part of it! Work itself was not a penalty for sin work was in the Garden of Eden before sin (Gen. 2:15). “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Ac. 20:35) states a rudimentary principle of our nature as beings created in God’s image — we were meant to be happy as productive beings.
Basically, there are two kinds of people in the world: hosts (producers) and guests (consumers). The hosts are the happiest! The aptitude to work efficiently and make a productive input is a chief element of “self-esteem.”
But our capitalist economy has made us consumeristic in attitude toward work and life. God said to Adam to sweat and eat…but today man is busy finding ways to eat without a sweat. Thus, more disease less health, and pills to sleep. “The sleep of a laboring man sweet” (Eccl. 5:12). Cf. 2:24. So God meant labor to be an intrinsic element in man’s happiness and health.
CONCLUSION
What do we think would take to make us completely happy?
Most often we answer that question in relation to things that were totally absent from Eden, which was the only setting in history where there was flawless happiness.
Ironic, as it appears, Eden had no mansions, no multiplexes, no money, no mall, and of course no MasterCard or social media. Do we spend 98% of our time on things that are 2% important to our happiness?
