"I spent far ore time seeking happiness and longing for it than experiencing it," (4).
Can you relate? If you are a Christian, your next internal thoughts might go something like this: "But, in this life I am not promised happiness. To pursue happiness is worldly and wrong. Instead, I should pursue joy in Christ." After that self-rebuke, perhaps you roll up your sleeves to make it through another day. You likely are not sure what joy is, but you are determined to pursue it instead of fleeting happiness that is based on circumstances. However, part of you longs, still, to be happy. Secretly, in dark thoughts, you may wonder if becoming a Christian means you forfeit happiness, at least for this life.
Enter the very helpful study on "Happiness" by Randy Alcorn. This is a substantial volume in which Alcorn marshals Christian writers throughout history, especially Puritans, original language word studies, as well as modern research to support his main idea: Christians can and should be happy because God is happy and wants us to be happy.