Most people would say they want to be happy and healthy. But they usually don’t think too much about being holy. In fact, they might even think happy and holy and not compatible goals. The truth is that happy and holy are not only compatible, they are actually interrelated. They are also related to being healthy. Healthy people are more likely to be happy and vise versa. So how does this all work together, you might be wondering. The starting point is holiness.

It has been said that if you pursue happiness, you will get neither happiness nor holiness. But if you pursue holiness, you will get both. Emotional, mental, and sometimes even physical health can be linked to a person’s level of happiness and over-all satisfaction with his or her life. Thus, it is wise to consider holiness in our lives.

In fact, according to God’s plan, holiness is the priority. If we look at the things in life that cause sadness, grief, and suffering, it is easy to see that there is an absence of holiness. Most people who come for counseling are often dealing with the results of their own poor choices or those of others. These are choices not based upon thoughts of holiness. Sometimes we refer to holiness choices as “doing the right thing.” Right thing choices seem to have been replaced with doing what we want, what is easy, fast, fun and feels good. Logical consequences of choices seem to be irrelevant. It is as if the concept of consequences has been deleted.

When we study God’s Word, we learn that He calls us to holiness for His glory and . . . . because he loves us and cares about our happiness. He clearly teaches us about choices and consequences. “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.” (Deuteronomy 11:26) The choice is ours, but our choices have consequences.  

What does a happy and healthy life look like? Bottom line, it looks like a life focused on holiness. We will never be perfect this side of eternity, but we can be working on it. We can be continually learning and growing and humbly open to correction from people who care about us. We can care about others and not just ourselves. We can look to the needs of others and not just our own. We can be faithful to our commitments and keep our word. We can be truth tellers. We can care more about doing the right thing than doing what we want. We can be intentional about how we live, and we can live to glorify our Heavenly Father.

Wishing you much holiness, happiness, and good health,

Elsie