--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is that contemporary people…" description: "\"“The problem is that contemporary people think life is all about finding happiness. We decide what conditions will make us happy and then we work to br..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/timothy-keller-240_finding-happiness_the-problem-is-that-contemporary-people_2106171.jpg" --- # The problem is that contemporary people think life is all… ![“The problem is that contemporary people think life is all about finding happiness. We decide what conditions will make us happy and then we work to bring those conditions about. To live for happiness means that you are trying to get something out of life. But when suffering comes along, it takes…” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/timothy-keller-240_finding-happiness_the-problem-is-that-contemporary-people_2106171.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/timothy-keller-240_finding-happiness_the-problem-is-that-contemporary-people_2106171.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/timothy-keller-240_finding-happiness_the-problem-is-that-contemporary-people_2106171.jpg) > ““The problem is that contemporary people think life is all about finding happiness. We decide what conditions will make us happy and then we work to bring those conditions about. To live for happiness means that you are trying to get something out of life. But when suffering comes along, it takes the conditions for happiness away, and so suffering destroys all your reason to keep living. But to “live for meaning” means not that you try to get something out of life but rather that life expects something from us. In other words, you have meaning only when there is something in life more important than your own personal freedom and happiness, something for which you are glad to sacrifice your happiness.129”” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True meaning comes from serving something beyond personal happiness, often requiring sacrifice. **In simple terms:** Meaning > personal happiness. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond self‑interest. Themes meaning service sacrifice Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - volunteering - career choices - family responsibilities - spiritual practice Key Concepts existential philosophy theology psychology Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to sacrifice for a greater purpose? - How does serving others reshape your sense of meaning? A Different Perspective Happiness can still be valuable; balance is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finding happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-happiness/) [Freedom and happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-and-happiness/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Personal freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-freedom/) ## Related quotes > [Men find happiness neither by means of the body nor through possessions, but through uprightness and wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-find-happiness-neither-by-means-of-the-body-nor-through/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [“Some cultures are pragmatic and prod their members to acquire possessions and power. Some are individualistic and urge their members to seek personal freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/some-cultures-are-pragmatic-and-prod-their-members-to-acquire/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“You are in despair, because you wish to live for your own happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/you-are-in-despair-because-you-wish-to-live-for-your-own-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“We often live as if our happiness depended on having. But I don't know anyone who is really happy because of what he or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/we-often-live-as-if-our-happiness-depended-on-having-but-i-don-t-know/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [Happiness are hard to find but even if we found it will be much more harder to live with such happiness…...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bina-lamichhane/happiness-are-hard-to-find-but-even-if-we-found-it-will-be-much-more/) [Bina Lamichhane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bina-lamichhane/) > [Don't Care What No-one, Don't Be Judged By Un-Greatful People Be Yourself Like Up Your Dream… Follow You Dream... Live It! <3 Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-lee/don-t-care-what-no-one-don-t-be-judged-by-un-greatful-people-be/) Leah Lee > [“with love one can live even without happiness. Even in sorrow life is sweet; life is sweet, however one lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/with-love-one-can-live-even-without-happiness-even-in-sorrow-life-is/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“If you have no idea what to do with your life THEN try to live for others happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaushal-s-kiroula/if-you-have-no-idea-what-to-do-with-your-life-then-try-to-live-for/) Kaushal S. Kiroula > [There are only moments. Live in this one. The happiness of these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/there-are-only-moments-live-in-this-one-the-happiness-of-these-days/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [I can be forced to live without happiness, but I will never consent to live without honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/i-can-be-forced-to-live-without-happiness-but-i-will-never-consent-to/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [When you're Happy for No Reason, you bring happiness to your outer experiences rather than trying to extract happiness from them. You don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/when-you-re-happy-for-no-reason-you-bring-happiness-to-your-outer/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [With love one can live even without happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-love-one-can-live-even-without-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is it alright to believe in the future where everyone can live in happiness?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromu-arakawa/is-it-alright-to-believe-in-the-future-where-everyone-can-live-in/) [Hiromu Arakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromu-arakawa/) > [If youre not greedy you will go far, you will live in happiness too... like the oompa… loompa… doompity do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ooompa-loompas/if-youre-not-greedy-you-will-go-far-you-will-live-in-happiness-too/) Ooompa Loompas > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Finding happiness quotes > [“You will not find happiness till you find your peaceful corner in life!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-will-not-find-happiness-till-you-find-your-peaceful-corner-in-life/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I used to believe the purpose in life is to find happiness. I don’t believe that anymore. I believe we are all given gifts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/i-used-to-believe-the-purpose-in-life-is-to-find-happiness-i-don-t/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-am-still-determined-to-be-cheerful-and-happy-in-whatever-situation/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) > [Something horrible may have happened to you, but you always have a choice in how you respond to it. You have the "Why does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/something-horrible-may-have-happened-to-you-but-you-always-have-a/) [Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/) > [Its hard to be positive when people are constantly hurting you or letting you down. But being negative ruins your chase at finding happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/its-hard-to-be-positive-when-people-are-constantly-hurting-you-or/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Happiness not only needs no justification, but it is also the only final test of whether what I am doing is right for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/happiness-not-only-needs-no-justification-but-it-is-also-the-only/) [Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/) > [“All you have to do is not fuck it up. Is it really that hard?” Was he kidding? Of course it was that hard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/all-you-have-to-do-is-not-fuck-it-up-is-it-really-that-hard-was-he/) [L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/) > [Riches, prestige, everything can be lost. But the happiness in your heart can only be dimmed; it will always be there as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/riches-prestige-everything-can-be-lost-but-the-happiness-in-your/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [I let you walked out of my door, It is just fine knowing you out there somewhere along, Finding happiness with your own, For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reolope/i-let-you-walked-out-of-my-door-it-is-just-fine-knowing-you-out-there/) [Janet Reolope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reolope/) > [Now, when ordinary people attempt to find happiness, I am not sure whether the happiness is really happiness or not. I study what ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/now-when-ordinary-people-attempt-to-find-happiness-i-am-not-sure/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [There is no true healing unless there is a change in outlook, peace of mind and inner happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bach/there-is-no-true-healing-unless-there-is-a-change-in-outlook-peace-of/) [Edward Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bach/) > [God lives in cozy homes. Happiness, which a cozy home can give you, is so divine on this Earth, you don't need anything more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/god-lives-in-cozy-homes-happiness-which-a-cozy-home-can-give-you-is/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [May God want for man to be able to be a child again to understand that he is mistaken if he thinks he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/facundo-cabral/may-god-want-for-man-to-be-able-to-be-a-child-again-to-understand/) [Facundo Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/facundo-cabral/) > [We may writhe in agony from pain Or laugh out loud when we find happiness As long as we're alive tomorrow will come we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miho-obana/we-may-writhe-in-agony-from-pain-or-laugh-out-loud-when-we-find/) Miho Obana > [They told me I didn't understand the assignment, I told them they didn't understand life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/they-told-me-i-didn-t-understand-the-assignment-i-told-them-they-didn/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) [Browse all 268 Finding happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The problem is that contemporary people think life is all about finding happiness. 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