It's not my ideal, It's Jesus Christ's.

Pray always
Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Rejoice always.

These "demands" come from God.   Right from Scripture.

This is the "reality" He wants us to abandon ourselves to, so that He can help us grow closer in union with Him.   A reality that takes a whole life well lived to "fill out". 

That's why in the end the true menaing of "happiness" (the one taught by the Greeks and by the Church..and which our country's fore father's reference in our founding documents) is actually the same thing as holiness.   Unity with God.