How happy do you look?

Philippians 4 (The Message)

 ^10-14I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don't mean that your help didn't mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.

Isn't this a great passage. Somehow I get stuck on the first line: "I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess......"  Does my internal happiness equal my external happiness?  I have said it before in many different ways, but I am a Happy person.  I literally have everything anyone could possibly need.  I have stuff, but more importantly I feel content where God has  me spiritually as well as physically.  The relationships I have in my life from my wife, to my daughters, to my grandkids, to my friends and coworkers, I am a lucky man. I think contentedness is an age thing.  The older and older I get, the more I realize how lucky I am.  Age breeds contentment. I find myself looking more and more what I have been given than looking at what I might get in the future. The more I think about what I have been blessed with compared to what I deserve, the more I realize true joy.  I need to display my joy so people don't have to guess if I am happy or not.  They should know that God has provided all the joy I need.

Lord, Thank you for the wonderful blessings you have granted this sinner.  The more I think about it the more I am humbled by the gifts you have granted me. Help me Lord to take these gifts and us them for your purposes alone.  I Love you Lord and I praise you for your wonderful kindness and mercy.  I want for nothing because you have provided it all for me.  Thank You!  Thank You! Thank You! Amen!