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TRUE HAPPINESS FROM WITHIN NOT FROM WITHOUT

"The narrow way, the way of holiness, not only leads to life, but it is life. Walking there, serene are our days, peaceful our nights, happy-high above the disorders and miseries of a wretched world-shall be our hourly communion with God; happy-full of assurance of calm and sacred triumph, shall be our dying hour"Richard Fuller.

Being holy and knowing God is the only way to {true} happiness. What other rationale could there possibly be? What other purpose could existence hold? Without knowing the reality of God is the number one reason individuals hang themselves, put a gun to their mouths, take an overdose, get thoroughly alleviated, and find other destructive ways to fill their emptiness. And without purpose or meaning in one's life, these solutions, although tragic, is understandable. Why would one desire to continue searching but never find?

The number of deaths from suicide in America has increased considerably, and the true number of deaths may be higher, because some suicide deaths are recorded as "accidental." In 2004, suicide was the third leading cause of death among youths and young adults aged 10-24 years in the United States, accounting for 4,599 deaths according to "Morbid & Mortality Weekly."

I believe the reason for the dramatic climb in suicide is because of meaninglessness, purposelessness, insignificance, and irrelevance in one's world. In addition, the loss of meaning can be directly related to alcoholism, drug use, nymphomania, bulimia, anorexia, nervosa, and several other addictions.

The fact is, over 6-million people in the United States suffer from mental illness, and it's not because these individuals are holy and happy. So, what is it? I believe the loss of God, consequence, and function; I believe that without God, darkness deposits itself in many areas of our lives.

For some individuals, the answer is narrowed down to suicide. "I just can't stand the pain. I want the hurt to go away. I haven't any role here. Nothing matters. There is no God. And if there is a God, he's not available for me. I simply can't make it one more day."

For believers, God offers purpose. And for me, God also presents eternal life. I mean, when I inhale my last breath, I'm absolutely not cool with the "dust-to-dust" and "back to the elements" fad. I want to be resurrected, honey. Leaving a path of successes, achievements, and memories isn't sufficient for my fulfillment. I need truth. I need to know where I am departing. I need someone bigger than myself to lead the way.

And it's not enough to live for our own pleasure, either. When one has God, they desire to live for others, too. "Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that what others do for us that makes us happy; it is what we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves" -Helen Keller

Many of us are desperately searching for happiness, but not finding it- because we are searching in the wrong places. As Helen Keller stated, one will not find happiness from an external world. Happiness will only be found when one finds their God. And when they do, everything else will follow. Amen.

Learn more about this author, Kim Robinson.
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