2016年1月8日
真正的幸福 The Best Kind of Happiness
读经: 約翰福音8章31-38節
Reading: John 8:31-38
你們若常常遵守我的道，就真是我的門徒。你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由。-約翰福音8章31-32節
If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.- John 8:31-32
全年读经: 創世記20-22章;馬太福音6章19-34節
Bible in a Year: Genesis 20–22; Matthew 6:19-34
小時候我常試圖說服父母，說：「大家都這樣啊！」但我父母對這樣的說詞就從不讓步。不論我怎樣苦苦哀求，他們絕不允許我去做他們認為是危險或愚昧的事。
年紀稍長，我們還加上許多藉口和理由將行為合理化，如：「不會有人受傷」、「又不違法」、「是他先這樣對待我」、「她不會發現啦」。其實在每個爭辯的背後，都暗示著一個信念：我們想要的東西，比什麼都重要。
最終這種錯誤的思維，會讓我們對上帝有錯誤的認知。我們有時會選擇相信上帝不是宇宙的中心，我們才是，以為只要世界按著我們的慾望重組一次，我們就能高枕無憂、幸福快樂。這謊言相當有說服力，因為它承諾我們可以更輕鬆、更快速地達成目的。這謊言甚至告訴我們：「上帝是愛，祂會允許我去做任何能讓我感到開心的事。」但事實上，這樣只會帶來痛苦，而不是幸福。
耶穌告訴那些相信祂的人，真理必叫他們得自由 （約翰福音8章31-32節） ，祂警告說：「所有犯罪的，就是罪的奴僕」 （34節） 。的確，接受耶穌才是使我們生命豐盛滿足的唯一途徑，真理帶來真自由，使我們得到真正的幸福。
主啊，我們承認自己常將一切的事都合理化，
以滿足一己之私。求主帶領我們，
使我們可以遵守祢的命令，更勝於追求自己的慾望。
尋求真幸福沒有捷徑。
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Everybody's doing it" seemed like a winning argument when I was young. But my parents never gave in to such pleas no matter how desperate I was to get permission to do something they believed was unsafe or unwise.
As we get older we add excuses and rationalizations to our repertoire of arguments for having our own way: "No one will get hurt." "It's not illegal." "He did it to me first." "She won't find out." Behind each argument is the belief that what we want is more important than anything else.
Eventually, this faulty way of thinking becomes the basis for our beliefs about God. One of the lies we sometimes choose to believe is that we, not God, are the center of the universe. We think we will be carefree and happy only when we reorder the world according to our desires. This lie is convincing because it promises an easier, speedier way to get what we want. It argues, "God is love, so He wants me to do whatever will make me happy." But this way of thinking leads to heartache, not happiness.
Jesus told those who believed in Him that the truth would make them truly free (John 8:31-32). But He also warned, "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin" (v. 34).
The best kind of happiness comes from the freedom we find when we accept the truth that Jesus is the way to a full and satisfying life.
Lord, we confess our tendency to rationalize everything to get what we think we want. Guide us today so that we choose to obey Your commands instead of pursuing our own desires.
There are no shortcuts to true happiness.