--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the reason we have this built-in…" description: "\"But the reason we have this built-in desire for happiness is because we're created in God's image. He wired us to want to be happy. Unfortunately, we s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/randy-alcorn-1180_desire_but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-des_896548.png" --- # But the reason we have this built-in desire for happiness… ![“But the reason we have this built-in desire for happiness is because we're created in God's image. He wired us to want to be happy. Unfortunately, we sometimes disassociate happiness from its true source, which is God Himself. Satan tempts us by offering us happiness, because he knows that's what…” quote by Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/randy-alcorn-1180_desire_but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-des_896548.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/randy-alcorn-1180_desire_but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-des_896548.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/randy-alcorn-1180_desire_but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-des_896548.png) > “But the reason we have this built-in desire for happiness is because we're created in God's image. He wired us to want to be happy. Unfortunately, we sometimes disassociate happiness from its true source, which is God Himself. Satan tempts us by offering us happiness, because he knows that's what we want. But he offers it in the wrong places, at the wrong times, and in the wrong things.” [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness is designed as a reflection of God's nature, but we often chase it in misplaced ways, leading to spiritual emptiness. **In simple terms:** We seek happiness, but true source is God. Key Takeaway Align desires with divine purpose. Themes spirituality purpose desire Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - church community - ethical decisions - life coaching Key Concepts theology human nature temptation Questions to Reflect On - What truly satisfies your soul? - How can you redirect cravings toward God? A Different Perspective Happiness can be fleeting without deeper meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-happiness-440157/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-created-851466/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Satan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satan/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Want Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-happy-304306/) [Want to be happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-to-be-happy/) [Wrong place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-place/) [Wrong time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-time/) ## Related quotes > [I want to be happy and free, living and loving for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-rawls/i-want-to-be-happy-and-free-living-and-loving-for-me/) [Lou Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-rawls/) > [I want to be happy; why do I do things that make me unhappy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schrader/i-want-to-be-happy-why-do-i-do-things-that-make-me-unhappy/) [Paul Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schrader/) > [Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hoff/do-you-really-want-to-be-happy-you-can-begin-by-being-appreciative-of/) [Benjamin Hoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-hoff/) > [If you want to be happy, make someone else happy. If you want to find the right person in your life, be the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-want-to-be-happy-make-someone-else-happy-if-you-want-to-find/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/if-you-want-to-be-happy-do-not-dwell-in-the-past-do-not-worry-about/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [On the one hand, we all want to be happy. On the other hand, we all know the things that make us happy. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/on-the-one-hand-we-all-want-to-be-happy-on-the-other-hand-we-all-know/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [I'm going to be a happy housewife. I'm going to be washing boxers and cooking and doing all those sorts of housewife duties. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-m-going-to-be-a-happy-housewife-i-m-going-to-be-washing-boxers-and/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [Make the choice that you want to be happy. You owe it to yourself and you owe it to other people too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-koch/make-the-choice-that-you-want-to-be-happy-you-owe-it-to-yourself-and/) [Richard Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-koch/) > [If you want to be happy, you have to be happy on purpose. When you wake up, you can't just wait to see what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/if-you-want-to-be-happy-you-have-to-be-happy-on-purpose-when-you-wake/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [If you want to be happy, then it is within your grasp. The book you are holding can have a profound impact on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-jolley/if-you-want-to-be-happy-then-it-is-within-your-grasp-the-book-you-are/) [Willie Jolley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-jolley/) > [If you really want to be successful and you really want to be happy, don't have a job, have a purpose. ...When you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/if-you-really-want-to-be-successful-and-you-really-want-to-be-happy/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [Life's about a hell of a lot more than being happy. It's about feeling the full range of stuff: happiness, sadness, anger, grief, love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marsden/life-s-about-a-hell-of-a-lot-more-than-being-happy-it-s-about-feeling-2/) [John Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marsden/) > [God, I'm a girl with a cursed fate. I've fallen in love with a boy and I want to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arina-tanemura/god-i-m-a-girl-with-a-cursed-fate-i-ve-fallen-in-love-with-a-boy-and/) [Arina Tanemura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arina-tanemura/) > [I think it's so foolish for people to want to be happy. Happy is so momentary--you're happy for an instant and then you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-it-s-so-foolish-for-people-to-want-to-be-happy-happy-is-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One thing my dad once said to me, "You either want to be right, or you want to be happy. To be happy, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-glover/one-thing-my-dad-once-said-to-me-you-either-want-to-be-right-or-you/) [Donald Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-glover/) ## More by Randy Alcorn > [“God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/god-is-the-highest-good-of-the-reasonable-creature-and-the-enjoyment/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [Jesus Himself was criticized. He wasn't a glutton and drunkard, but He was accused of being those things. Why? Because He went to parties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/jesus-himself-was-criticized-he-wasn-t-a-glutton-and-drunkard-but-he/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [The more you give, the more comes back to you, because God is the greatest giver in the universe, and He won't let you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/the-more-you-give-the-more-comes-back-to-you-because-god-is-the/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [If God was the owner, I was the manager. I needed to adopt a steward's mentality toward the assets He had entrusted - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/if-god-was-the-owner-i-was-the-manager-i-needed-to-adopt-a-steward-s/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.” —George…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/the-vigor-of-our-spiritual-life-will-be-in-exact-proportion-to-the/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [There's a timeless truth behind the concept of giving God our firstfruits. Whether or not the tithe is still the minimal measure of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/there-s-a-timeless-truth-behind-the-concept-of-giving-god-our/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [Countless mistakes in marriage, parenting, ministry, and other relationships are failures to balance grace and truth. Sometimes we neglect both. Often we choose one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/countless-mistakes-in-marriage-parenting-ministry-and-other/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [Don't forget that the most effective form of child abuse is giving a child everything they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/don-t-forget-that-the-most-effective-form-of-child-abuse-is-giving-a/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“Even if materialism brought happiness in this life (which it certainly does not), it would leave us woefully unprepared for the next.   Materialism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/even-if-materialism-brought-happiness-in-this-life-which-it-certainly/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“When we become proud, we operate outside the grace God only gives to the humble. Humility preserves us; pride destroys us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/when-we-become-proud-we-operate-outside-the-grace-god-only-gives-to/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [I believe the only way to break the power of materialism is first, to see ourselves as stewards that God has entrusted these money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/i-believe-the-only-way-to-break-the-power-of-materialism-is-first-to/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“The most tragic strain in human existence lies in the fact that the pleasure which we find in the things of this life, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/the-most-tragic-strain-in-human-existence-lies-in-the-fact-that-the/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [Give more as you make more. Remember: God prospers us not to raise our standard of living, but to raise our standard of giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/give-more-as-you-make-more-remember-god-prospers-us-not-to-raise-our/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [If we can keep ourselves from interfering with the natural laws of life, mistakes can be our child's finest teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/if-we-can-keep-ourselves-from-interfering-with-the-natural-laws-of/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [Those who know their unworthiness seize grace as a hungry man seizes bread: the self-righteous resent grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/those-who-know-their-unworthiness-seize-grace-as-a-hungry-man-seizes/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) [Explore all 276 Randy Alcorn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But the reason we have this built-in desire for happiness is because we're created in God's image. He wired us to want to be happy. Unfortunately, we sometimes disassociate happiness from its true source, which is God Himself. Satan tempts us by offering us happiness, because he knows that's what we want. But he offers it in the wrong places, at the wrong times, and in the wrong things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Randy Alcorn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-desire-for-happiness-is-because/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-desire-for-happiness-is-because/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/randy-alcorn-1180_desire_but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-des_896548.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/randy-alcorn-1180_desire_but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-des_896548.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/randy-alcorn-1180_desire_but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-des_896548.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But the reason we have this built-in desire for happiness is because we're created in God's image. He wired…” — Randy Alcorn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Randy Alcorn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But the reason we have this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-desire-for-happiness-is-because/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/but-the-reason-we-have-this-built-in-desire-for-happiness-is-because/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```