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CSL on happiness


Working on a sermon for Philippians series.  Special focus on Phil. 1:21... "for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  In thinking about joy and happiness, I came upon a number of quotes by C. S. Lewis on the topic of happiness...
“All that we call human history--money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery--[is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”  (From Mere Christianity)

 “I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.”  (From Surprised by Joy)

 “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”  (From Mere Christianity)

 “Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose... only (upon) the Beloved who will never pass away.”  (Quoting Augustine in The Four Loves)

 “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”  (From Mere Christianity)

Related posts: 
Every enemy of joy overcome (Piper)
Happiness (joy) our goal (Edwards)
Excerpts from True Spirituality (Schaeffer)

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