We used to understand that the pursuit of happiness entailed the possibility that you very well might not get happiness.

You might be disappointed, frustrated, discouraged, defeated, or wind up rejected by the very system in which you were attempting to pursue happiness. And that system could be a family, a church, a neighborhood, or any community.

Most of the systems were known to be flawed. This was accepted. The people inside the systems were known to be flawed. This was also accepted. We used to call this the “tragedy of human existence.”

In our time, though, abundant material prosperity has fooled us into believing that we have defeated the fallen nature of the world, the systems in it, and the people operating in those systems. This belief leads to frustration, disappointment, discouragement, and feelings of defeat because material prosperity doesn’t equate to psychological and spiritual happiness.

That’s still something we will most likely not achieve perfectly, on this side of reality.

By all means, continue to pursue happiness. But acknowledge the ceiling.