A lot of times people will say something like “so-and-so did this and that, yadda yadda yadda” and end it with “but ya know, whatever makes you/them happy.” Or sometimes, it’s “well, if it makes you happy, then it’s okay.” I know I’m probably guilty of saying/thinking/doing it at some points or another in the past, but that phrase always strikes me as dangerous.
If you think about it, what it means is that you’re basing right/wrong decisions on whether or not your selfish desires are met. Or, accepting another person’s action and excusing them because they did it to make themselves happy, so it makes it alright. Does making yourself happy justify doing something you believe is wrong? Does making yourself happy justify lying, cheating, stealing, etc.? Does making yourself happy justify making someone else unhappy?
Another thing is that I think many (all?) people have a flawed sense of happiness. Many times, it’s based on quick-satisfactions that will carry you on another day or so, but leave you wanting more deep inside. Live a life of quick-satisfactions and you’ll likely find yourself a very unhappy person in the future.
Perhaps the right way of going about things is to figure out that following God’s plan is the way to make you happy. And that’s not to say that’s an easy and happy-go-lucky path to take. It’s often a very difficult, tiring, and often times unhappy one, rather. I’m kinda thinking that God never intended us to always feel “happy,” but he wants us to always feel love. And love is most definitely not always “happy.”
Maybe someday I’ll say “I did this and that and yadda yadda yadda, but ya know, whatever makes God happy makes me happy.” Mmmm, though hopefully in a not as cheesy/cliche-ish manner. ;)