The Crossroads of Desire
Happiness vs. Holiness
What Is God Really After?
In today’s Christian culture, a subtle yet dangerous idea is gaining traction: that God’s primary goal is our personal happiness. Many Christians are chasing after emotional highs, material blessings, or circumstantial affirmations, interpreting coincidental “open doors” as divine approval, even when those paths contradict the clear teaching of Scripture. But the Bible tells a very different story: God is not primarily concerned with making us happy.... He desires our holiness.
The Cave of Compromise: David’s Test
Consider one of the clearest biblical examples: David in the cave in 1 Samuel 24. King Saul, who was hunting David, unknowingly enters the very cave where David and his men are hiding. David’s men urge him to seize what appears to be a God-given opportunity: “Now’s your chance!” they whisper, “This is the day the Lord was talking about when He said, ‘I will certainly put Saul into your power, to do with as you wish’” (1 Samuel 24:4, NLT).
Everything lined up circumstantially and Saul was vulnerable, David had the support of his men, and there was a promise of kingship hanging over his life. It looked like a God-ordained opportunity. But what stopped David from acting? The Word of God. David knew it was a sin to murder, and it was a sin to raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed. So he said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him” (1 Samuel 24:6, NLT).
David chose holiness over the happiness of immediate resolution. He honored God’s command above personal benefit.
The Danger of Deceptive Feelings
Scripture warns us: “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NLT). When our feelings become the filter through which we interpret God’s will, we risk spiritual disaster. Emotions fluctuate. People around us may affirm our desires. But God’s Word never changes.
That’s why Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” If it doesn’t line up with His Word, it’s not from Him—no matter how right it feels.
God’s Priority: Our Holiness
God is not against your happiness, but it is never His primary goal. Happiness that conflicts with holiness is counterfeit joy. “God’s will is for you to be holy” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NLT), not merely content. In fact, the pursuit of holiness often leads to deeper, richer joy—the kind that isn’t shaken by circumstances.
Jesus didn’t die to make you feel better, He died to make you new. And new life in Christ means conforming to His image, not using His name to endorse our preferences. The call of the gospel is a call to self-denial, not self-fulfillment (Luke 9:23).
When the World Shakes, The Rock Won't Move!
Everything is changing: emotions, relationships, finances, opinions. There is only one constant: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His Word is fixed. “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8, NLT).
So stop chasing signs and start clinging to Scripture. Don’t follow your heart... follow Christ. When everything else shifts, the Rock won’t move.
Jesus said it clearly: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33, NLT). Holiness is the path to what truly satisfies. If you chase happiness, you may miss both. But if you chase holiness, God will supply the joy you didn’t even know you needed.
The Cave of Compromise: David’s Test
Consider one of the clearest biblical examples: David in the cave in 1 Samuel 24. King Saul, who was hunting David, unknowingly enters the very cave where David and his men are hiding. David’s men urge him to seize what appears to be a God-given opportunity: “Now’s your chance!” they whisper, “This is the day the Lord was talking about when He said, ‘I will certainly put Saul into your power, to do with as you wish’” (1 Samuel 24:4, NLT).
Everything lined up circumstantially and Saul was vulnerable, David had the support of his men, and there was a promise of kingship hanging over his life. It looked like a God-ordained opportunity. But what stopped David from acting? The Word of God. David knew it was a sin to murder, and it was a sin to raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed. So he said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him” (1 Samuel 24:6, NLT).
David chose holiness over the happiness of immediate resolution. He honored God’s command above personal benefit.
The Danger of Deceptive Feelings
Scripture warns us: “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NLT). When our feelings become the filter through which we interpret God’s will, we risk spiritual disaster. Emotions fluctuate. People around us may affirm our desires. But God’s Word never changes.
That’s why Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” If it doesn’t line up with His Word, it’s not from Him—no matter how right it feels.
God’s Priority: Our Holiness
God is not against your happiness, but it is never His primary goal. Happiness that conflicts with holiness is counterfeit joy. “God’s will is for you to be holy” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NLT), not merely content. In fact, the pursuit of holiness often leads to deeper, richer joy—the kind that isn’t shaken by circumstances.
Jesus didn’t die to make you feel better, He died to make you new. And new life in Christ means conforming to His image, not using His name to endorse our preferences. The call of the gospel is a call to self-denial, not self-fulfillment (Luke 9:23).
When the World Shakes, The Rock Won't Move!
Everything is changing: emotions, relationships, finances, opinions. There is only one constant: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His Word is fixed. “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8, NLT).
So stop chasing signs and start clinging to Scripture. Don’t follow your heart... follow Christ. When everything else shifts, the Rock won’t move.
Jesus said it clearly: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33, NLT). Holiness is the path to what truly satisfies. If you chase happiness, you may miss both. But if you chase holiness, God will supply the joy you didn’t even know you needed.
So stop chasing signs and start clinging to Scripture.
Don’t follow your heart... follow Christ.
When everything else shifts, the Rock won’t move.
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3 Comments
Been a Christian for quite a while. I know in my head that the heart can’t be trusted but this said it all and in a way that hit my heart. Thank you.
AMEN!
Oh my God! “I do say “I will follow my heart.”“( with Jesus ✝️in mind ) & my family when being said! I will Folllow Jesus. Thank you.