I chose the book 60 Days of Happiness* as a gift from Tyndale in exchange for a review on my site, and I am so HAPPY that I did! (Which is good because the book is all about happiness!!)
I don’t need to write much about Randy Alcorn, the author. He is a New York Times bestseller and the author of more than 50 books (including the famous Heaven which I received after my mother passed away.) But I do love how he proposes that we as humans are meant to be happy. God has wired us this way.
There can be a debate in the Church about whether to focus on holiness or happiness, but the truth is that the two should not be separated. God wants us to be both. In fact, you cannot be truly happy unless you are living a holy life. (Holy meaning that we are walking in accordance with God’s ways and in relationship with Him.)
Apart from God, there is no real happiness. All that is good on this earth, for both the believer and those that do not know God, is ultimately from Him.
Alcorn also attempts to breakdown the barrier between joy and happiness, claiming that in the actual text of the Bible, there is none. And he’s in good company. He writes how Augustine, Aquinas, Pascal, the Puritans, Wesley, and Moody all believed that God did in fact desire for us to be happy.
And I think – of course He did! Why would a loving Father desire that His children be un-happy?! Now, as a parent, there are times when I will allow my children to face the consequences of their poor choices and that makes them unhappy for a time, but the hope in doing so is that they will learn from their mistakes and it will lead them to a sustainable happiness because they know Wisdom.
I also love how Alcorn points out in his book that Jesus has a sense of humor. He is, in fact, the author of humor, isn’t He?
In summary, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone seeking to live a happy and meaningful life. That is what God desires for us. Alcorn points us in the direction of discovering a fulfilling joy that is not watered down.
I would also recommend this book as a gift, as they cover is really cute, and it reads as a devotional, so it could make someone very HAPPY! You can check it out here*.
*As an Amazon associate, I receive a small commission (at no extra charge to you!) if you purchase a product through one of my links. Thank-you!
