no right to happiness

In this essay by CS Lewis he comments on the thought that we all have a right to our happiness. He states that this is not true. He makes the point that if we had a right to happiness then there would be no law. If a man decides that he is happy when he kills people then we would have to allow it. So then He states that it is a right to happiness within the law. He states that this is a dangerous position to have. When someone wants to have happiness they will bend the rules to get it. He points out that couples who are happy are the ones who have a good sense of right and wrong. I believe that we don't have a right to happiness, but I don't believe we should not hope to find it. I think that in christ we are offered happiness as a gift, not an obligation. I don't think that our happiness is necessarily deserved, but I do think that it can be attained. If you notice from the example given, CS Lewis describes a man who left his wife because she didn't look so good anymore. This man marries out of selfish motives, and when it came down to the point where he thought he could be happier he took the oppertunity thinking of himself. Lewis touches on this by describing it as self pity. He states that this man pities himself so much that he feels no pity for his wife. the ends justify the means he might argue. This selfishness will leave us feeling empty and will never be enough. We will toss people aside in order to attain our own goals. I think that if we try to find happiness in the world we won't ever find it. This relates to plantinga and weight of glory. The beauty we find in the world is promise of what is to come. we cannot be satisfied until we reside in christ. That is how we find satisfaction. It's not a right to happiness, it is a gift of happiness.