This article and the study referenced echo Daniel Kahneman’s reflective versus experiential happiness. Momentary happiness, such as attending a concert or skydiving, is fleeting.  A life of meaning, on the other hand, yields a lasting contentment.  As the study in the article suggests, a life of giving often leads to a meaningful life, strikingly similar to the message of Jesus Christ.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/meaning-is-healthier-than-happiness/278250/