1. Why do some people refuse to give up on their dreams while others do?
Some people give up on their dreams because they truly believe that those dreams are impossible and will never happen. When you don't see any hope that your dreams will come true, it is easy to just say forget about it, and make new dreams. However, if you know that your dreams are not all that far out of reach, it would take a lot to make you give up on them.
2. How has God brought happiness from pain in your life?
I once questioned God's reasons for a change in my life and the pain it brought, but that very change brought about some great quality time with the Lord, and one of those rare friends that are there for life, no matter what.
3. Why do you suppose we discount the importance of happiness in spiritual circles?
People tend to get their focus off of the important things, and many times people start looking for happiness, instead of just enjoying it when it comes along. They forget to be content with the joy and blessings that come from being in God's will. So they loose sight of following after God, and they follow after all of the things that, they think, will bring them happiness. This has happened so many times that spiritual leaders eventually stopped using the word happy, and now mainly use words like joy, blessed, contentment, etc. because those words are not things you can get from the world, and it is easier to keep people on track if they are not distractedly looking for happiness.
