I was initially skeptical when I picked up Andrew Wilson’s Happiness: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Make It Last Forever, partly because of my dissatisfaction with other books about happiness. What I appreciated about this book is that Wilson offers a big vision of God and, because of that, articulates a robust vision of what happiness means. His central claim is straightforward: God is happy, and he wants us to be like him.
Drawing on the biblical portrayal of God’s delight, generosity, and invitation to share in his joy, Wilson develops an account of happiness grounded in God’s character and our relationship with him. He then considers how we cultivate this happiness in the life we have now. Biblical and theological reflection informs the discussion throughout, alongside insights from psychology and practical attention to our habits, relationships, and circumstances.
One of the strengths of the book is the way Wilson anticipates objections and works through the assumptions behind them. The question of temperament is a good example. Some of us are naturally cheerful; others have a more melancholy disposition. Wilson acknowledges these differences and offers a flexible framework for understanding their significance. His analogy of a card game distinguishes the hand we are dealt, the conditions in which we play, and the choices we make.
This framework allows him to address people across the spectrum of disposition. A naturally cheerful person may need to examine the foundations of that cheerfulness and consider whether it will endure a significant change in circumstances. Someone more prone to melancholy can consider the choices that might help cultivate joy. Both readers have reason to reflect on the deep motivations for happiness and the habits that sustain it.
Wilson’s discussion of happiness and joy also demonstrates the value of bringing careful biblical interpretation into conversation with pastoral wisdom. He examines the cluster of biblical words associated with happiness and develops categories that allow us to make fuller use of their range of expression. His image of the ocean, with its surface movement, tides, and deep currents, provides a helpful way to understand different depths of happiness and their relationship to sorrow. A person can be superficially cheerful while deeply despairing, or genuinely distressed while sustained by a deep joy in Christ.
These distinctions give readers tools for understanding their own experience and responding wisely to others. They also illustrate something significant about the book as a whole: substantial biblical and theological synthesis supports practical counsel for ordinary believers. Wilson offers an accessible introduction to happiness with enough depth to challenge hidden assumptions and encourage readers to pursue it with biblical wisdom.
- Listen to my podcast episode with Wilson about his book
- See further details about this volume. Cf. my goodreads & reviews of volumes in the ESV Commentary series; Thanks to Crossway for this review copy.
- Read about my latest book, One Grand Story: How the Bible Tells its Story and Why it Matters
