Everybody wants to be happy. We spend our lives pursuing it. We look for it in relationships, careers, possessions, achievements, and experiences. We convince ourselves that if we could just change a few circumstances, we’d finally be happy.
But what if we’ve misunderstood happiness altogether? What if we’re looking for it in the wrong places?
That’s the question Andrew Wilson tackles in Happiness: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Make It Last Forever
I’ve always enjoyed Andrew Wilson’s writing. He’s a remarkably gifted writer who combines serious theological thinking with clarity, wit, and accessibility. He makes complicated ideas understandable without making them simplistic. And this book addresses a subject Christians desperately need to think about.
Does God Really Want Us to Be Happy?
Wilson begins with a claim that might surprise some Christians: God wants us to be happy. Sometimes Christians speak as though happiness is worldly or superficial, while holiness is what really matters. But Scripture doesn’t pit the two against each other.
Psalm 16:11 tells us that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy. Jesus tells his disciples that he desires their joy to be complete (John 15:11). God doesn’t call his people into miserable obedience. He calls us to find our deepest satisfaction and delight in him.
Of course, Wilson isn’t promoting the prosperity gospel or suggesting that following Jesus guarantees a trouble-free life. Rather, he helps us understand that genuine happiness is rooted in knowing and enjoying God. Across six chapters, Wilson explores why happiness is possible, what it is, who we are, when and where we experience it, and how we pursue it.
One of the book’s particular strengths is the way Wilson draws together biblical theology, philosophy, and psychology. He recognises that happiness is complex. Our emotions fluctuate, our circumstances change, and our personalities differ. Yet beneath all of this, Christians possess a lasting hope in Christ.
I particularly appreciated the distinction between temporary pleasures and deeper, lasting happiness. We can spend our lives pursuing momentary satisfaction while neglecting the very things that bring genuine joy. That’s a challenge worth hearing.
Some Reservations
However, the book isn’t without its weaknesses.
Wilson’s wide-ranging approach is both a strength and a potential weakness. Moving between biblical theology, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology provides fascinating insights, but at times the breadth of material risks overwhelming the central argument. I would have welcomed more sustained biblical exposition in places, instead of moving so quickly between different disciplines.
There’s also a need for discernment when drawing upon psychological research. Such insights can help us understand human behaviour, but Christians must remember that Scripture, rather than contemporary psychology, provides our ultimate framework for understanding humanity and flourishing. Wilson recognises this distinction, though it’s worth keeping in mind throughout.
And while the emphasis on pursuing happiness is thoroughly biblical when properly understood, it needs careful pastoral handling. For Christians experiencing depression, bereavement, chronic illness, or prolonged suffering, the suggestion that certain habits contribute to happiness could unintentionally become another burden.
To his credit, Wilson acknowledges the complexity of suffering and our differing capacities for happiness. Nevertheless, readers must remember that our spiritual maturity cannot simply be measured by how happy we feel. The Apostle Paul could describe himself as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Christian joy can coexist with very real pain.
A Book Worth Reading
Despite these reservations, Happiness is a valuable and timely book. It’s particularly helpful in challenging the assumption that Christianity is primarily about duty, sacrifice, and endurance, rather than delighting in the God who has saved us. And its applications are wonderfully practical. Understanding biblical happiness should change our attitudes towards money, relationships, gratitude, contentment, and the ordinary circumstances of life.
It should challenge us to ask whether we’re seeking satisfaction in things that cannot possibly deliver what we’re asking of them. Most importantly, Wilson reminds us of a distinction we must never forget: God isn’t simply a means to achieving happiness. God himself is our greatest treasure, and lasting happiness flows from knowing and enjoying him.
At just 184 pages, this is a book I’d happily recommend to everyday Christians, pastors, and those involved in discipleship and pastoral care. It’s accessible, thought-provoking, and full of insights worth reflecting upon. We were created for happiness. But not the fragile happiness that depends on everything going according to plan. We were created to find our ultimate happiness in God. And that is a happiness worth pursuing.
