Trivial Pursuit of Happiness

If you've never watched the Pursuit of Happyness, I highly recommend it. I recently wrote an article for the Bradenton Herald dealing with some of my reflections on the movie. But this is a different reflection, so please don't stop reading. Is the pursuit of happiness just another 'trivial pursuit?' It certainly is a 'trivial pursuit,' or even harsher, a 'chasing after the wind' (as the writer of Ecclesiastes puts it) if happiness is found solely in the attaining of a goal. The problem is that this really is our mindset much of the time. You might think that money will make you happy. Eventually you'll realize it won't. But the danger is that you graduate (but don't realize it) to more 'spiritually acceptable goals.' For example, Amy and I would like to start a family. Will we be happy only when that family comes to us (via birth or adoption)? Well should a child come to us "in the usual way," we'll get new things to worry about. The health of the child, sex (although I'm more inclined to take a girl now then I was a few years ago) would represent just a few concerns. Then of course, my next goal might be success in school. But is he/she good in sports (I'm thinking of scholarships of course)? What about his/her spiritual condition? Will I only be happy if he/she is growing in faith? What about what college he/she gets in to? Then who they marry-will they make a mistake? Where will they live? Again what about their faith (the most important concern a parent can have)? As you can see, the questions never stop. And as soon as one goal is reached (that is supposed to bring happiness), it is simply replaced by the next question. All along I may never have sought my delight in the Lord. I think its probaby better to do what the bible says, and "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." If I'm not happy now in the Lord, I'll never be happy, not even with a 3 gospel centered, Reformed, Christian kids who grow up to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who take me fishing in their Hewes flat's boats in the offseason. It's true. If God is not our first, and highest delight, we'll never be happy.