Thomas Jefferson, the primary writer of the declaration of Independence wrote the following: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Jefferson seemed to be saying that we don��"t have necessarily have the right to happiness, only the right to pursue it. I can only assume that Jefferson would be proud of most Americans because we, by and large, are in hot pursuit. The big question is, “What exactly are we pursuing that we think will make us happy? Key Scriptures: Psalms 112:1, Proverbs 14:12, I Peter 1:15 & Matthew 5:3-12 A Personal look: Do you believe it is God��"s ultimate desire for us to be happy? Do you find yourself placing blame when you don��"t experience a life of happiness? In what ways have you put your immediate happiness above doing what you knew was right? How have you wrongly pursued happiness through the things of this world? God wants you blessed (which can be translated as… more than happy). Think about a time when you��"ve been overwhelmed by the blessings of God. Is it possible to be blessed and unhappy at the same time? Have you ever made an unwise decision simply because you thought it would make you happy? Additional Scriptures: Psalms 97:12, James 5:11, Romans 14:22 & I Peter 3:13-14