By Sandra Sheridan

 Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.”

How does a person find happiness? Our materialistic culture promotes the belief that the path to pleasure is found in more stuff. All you have to do is watch a little TV or walk through any department store and you will see and hear the telltale signs of this acquisition doctrine. But those who fall prey to this false creed eventually recognize the truth. More stuff doesn’t bring happiness; in fact, it usually brings headaches.

A number of years ago I fell for the foolish belief that more is better. I was buying Cornish Rock cross chicks to raise for meat and saw that there was a special going on. If I bought fifty birds I could get an additional twenty-five at a greatly reduced price. I wasn’t planning on buying that many but, hey, more is better, right? 

A week or so later the babies arrived through the mail and I got them settled in their new home. But there were so many. As they grew the pen got smaller and the chickens more cramped. One by one they started dying, and to my great dismay by the end of the eight weeks I had lost almost all of them. I found out the hard way that more is not better. It is just more! And it didn’t bring happiness, only defeat.

So how does a person find happiness? Real joy is found in being content with what you already have. Instead of pining for things beyond your grasp, give thanks for the blessings right in front of you. God has blessed us in so many ways, but often we forget in our mad rush to acquire more. 

This Thanksgiving rediscover the path to happiness. Look around at what you already have and be thankful. The Lord is good! His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness lasts to all generations.