The United Nations (UN) publishes an annual report on happiness. This year my homeland Norway climbed from its previous fourth place position to stand atop the podium as the happiest country in the world. Is that really true and is happiness what determines a good life?

Please allow me to explain.

In its survey, the UN measures income, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on in times of trouble, generosity, freedom, and trust (determined by the absence of corruption in business and government). The analysis of the levels, changes, and determinants of happiness among and within nations is based chiefly on individual life evaluations, roughly 1,000 per year in each of more than 150 countries. The UN measures answers to the Cantril ladder question: “Please imagine a ladder, with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?”

Who wouldn’t want higher income, better health, more trusted friends, greater ability to be generous, and consistent integrity among their leaders? However, I’ve met many miserable people who have an abundance of these things. I’ve also met many relatively poor people whose lives are full of adversity, but they seem super excited about life.

Personally, I have grown up with decent income, good health, trusted friends, ability to be generous and integrity among my leaders. However, I still felt that something was missing. My emotions could go from being satisfied when things went well to being unsatisfied when things did not go as I wished. Even with all these material gifts present, I was not content.

What’s going on here?

It’s as simple as it is profound. The UN is missing a key question.

Happiness is determined by external factors. As a result, happiness is one of the most shallow, fleeting, fleshy emotions a human can experience. For someone to be “happy” something has “to happen.” When my investment portfolio increases, I feel happy. When my flight departs on time, I feel happy. When my favorite soccer team wins, I feel happy.

But how do I feel when the opposite happens, as it invariably does? Fearful? Stressed? Insecure? Miserable? Welcome to life’s emotional roller coaster, full of temporarily happy ups and anxiety producing downs, fear-inducing twists and terrifying turns. This is precisely where most people are living — because they’re fixated on striving to feel happy.

So what is the secret to a life of contentment? Paul shares the secret in Philippians 4:11-12, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”

Paul learned to be content regardless of his circumstances. That’s quite an accomplishment. To highlight this, take a moment and ask yourself, “Do I know anyone who always seems content?”

Paul found contentment through his relationship with Jesus. No matter what happened around him — imprisonment, threats to his life, poverty — he knew Jesus was with him. Paul trusted Jesus. This produced a deep joy, a contentment that not only flowed from the inside out, but swamped whatever negative external factors Paul faced.

Henri Nouwen wrote, “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

Like Paul, I’ve learned that abiding joy flows from my relationship with Jesus, where I listen to what He tells me to do and then I do it in obedience. God makes it possible to have a settled joy in Him despite life’s very real difficulties and sorrows.

I expect the UN will continue to measure happiness based on what people have. But a far more profound survey would ask: “Who has you?”

My Norwegian countrymen have a lot to be happy about. But happiness is over-rated. As for me, although I am still a work in progress, I choose joy.