This past week, I was thinking a little about the lyrics of “Mr. Jones,” a song that was pretty popular back when I was in high school. I think one reason it resonated with so many people is because it talks about our desires in a way that we can relate to.

Here are a few of the lines:
…
We all want something beautiful
I wish I was beautiful
…
Help me believe in anything
I want to be someone who believes
…
When everybody loves you, you can never be lonely
…

The truth is that there are a lot of things that we could be tempted to think might help make us happy but we often find that they can’t do that after all. I think Adam Duritz might be hinting at this with his line, “When everybody loves you, you can never be lonely.” By making such a direct statement, he helps us to really think about it and it’s clear that popularity isn’t a cure at all for loneliness.

In my own experience, when I’m in close relationship with God, I find that I’m both better able to enjoy other things in life and at the same time also feel less dependent on those other things (or other people) in order to be happy. Surprisingly (or not), another thing that can contribute to our own happiness is living a life that is centered around serving others. You could almost think that focusing on self could give you a better chance of making yourself happy. However, experience shows us that focusing on self is more likely to lead to depression than anything else!

What are the things that you are looking for in life? Is it possible that you’re leaning too heavily on the hope of them bringing you happiness? Do you have any tips for finding true happiness?