Half-truths can be really dangerous. Take the adage, “God just wants you to be happy!” Now is happiness a good thing? That depends. To suggest that God just wants us to be happy is misleading at best, and destructive at worst. I much prefer, “God just wants me to be holy.”

God desires that my life reflect His own image – loving, compassionate, gracious, merciful, truthful, just.

I could go on and on. Notice that all of those adjectives that describe a holy life are directed outward. Happiness however, certainly as our culture promotes it, might be the product of outward directed endeavour, but it might not. I can be completely self-absorbed and be happy. It’s important to recognise that. The self-absorbed person, someone we refer to as selfish, cannot possibly be holy. They might be happy, but never holy. And therefore the selfish person can never please God. God just wants you to be happy? Hardly. No my friend. God just wants you to be holy.

PASTOR DUNCAN