All Christians, though saved, are not happy. Those, for instance, who do not hearken to the Lord's wisdom, and refuse the path of obedience, cannot be happy, for they grieve the Holy Spirit, and walk in paths where the Lord cannot vouchsafe His presence. Then, again, there are those who are so constantly occupied with circumstances and burdening themselves with earthly cares as to make them very unhappy, because circumstances are their object instead of Christ; and they measure God's love to them according to prosperity in earthly things, which is unbelieving and delusive. But perhaps the most miserable being is a self-occupied person, who is every now and then either lifted up with pride or plunged into despondency. Having self for his object-good self, bad self, or religious self-he cannot rise above self, and is thus practically severed from the Lord, the only source of joy. On this account he is not only miserable himself, but makes every one miserable with whom he comes in contact; for self-occupation is a more catching malady than many suppose. To ponder our circumstances and consider our ways and state of soul may be needful to guide us in prayer or self-judgment, but to allow either circumstances or self to come in so as to displace Christ from our hearts as our true object is not the way of faith, and wars terribly against the soul. Let us never forget then that the secret of happiness is being continually before the Lord and hearkening to His wisdom.