Regardless of conditions, we do want to be happy. Is there anyone here who does not want to be happy in the coming year? A teacher of a young adult class asked the students to write their answers to the question, "What do you want most out of life?" Nine out of ten answered, "Happiness."

Psychology Today magazine took a poll of 40,000 readers. Eighty-three percent responded that their main question was, "How can I find real happiness?"

If anybody should be happy, it is a Christian. But, is the average Christian known for his joy? Many think of a Christian in terms of solemnity, seriousness, and severity. Some of us are like the country boy whose grandmother forbade him to engage in "worldly amusements" on Sunday.

Dejected and lonely, he walked down to the barn fence and while he was there a mule came up and put his head into the boy's hands. Patting the sad face of the mule, the boy commiserated, "Poor fellow, you must be a Christian, too."

Christians have good reason to be the happiest people in the world. Their happiness is not based upon the condition of the world but upon the condition of the heart. They are happy because of God and not because of man.