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David Scudder
DaveBethel at gmail dot com Sr. Pastor of Bethel Chapel Church
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I believe that every human heart longs to be happy. Sadly though, few people really find much happiness. There are several reasons why happiness is very important. Research proves that our health suffers when we experience prolonged times of unhappiness. Our lack of personal happiness also has a ripple effect that affects those around us too. Unhappiness puts a strain on all of our relationships. I think we all understand this. The problem isn’t that we want to be unhappy. Everybody wants to be happy. Most people, though, struggle to experience much of it.
Have you ever wondered if God wants us to be happy? I’ve heard many people say that you have give up being happy if you become a Christian. The truth is that the Bible talks lot about how Christians should be very happy people. For example Jesus said, “I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:22). Or we could turn to the Old Testament and read: “Splendor and majesty are before [God], strength and joy are in His place” (1 Chronicles 16:27); “In Your [i.e. God’s] presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:11). Since the Bible talks about happiness as if it’s possible, why are so few people really happy?
Maybe we’re thinking that happiness is something we have to pursue, rather than a gift that God wants to give to us (as Paul explains in Galatians 5:22). The happiness that we chase after always comes with regrets. Those regrets may come from our guilty conscience, they may be part of the fear that our happiness won’t last, or they may be because the happiness we have still hasn’t met our expectations—we expected it to be even better. The happiness that God gives, on the other hand, is so complete that there are no regrets. God says that, “the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken” (Isaiah 54:10).
The happiness that God gives is so complete that it is a “a joy made full” (John 17:13). Happiness without a hangover—now that’s real happiness! God’s happiness is so full that it continues even when life is hard. When a chronic disease tempts us to think that life is no longer worth living, God’s happiness gives us the strength to keep fighting. When a relationship goes sour and we think that there is no hope, God’s happiness gives us the strength to keep working on that relationship. When it seems like the bills will always be more than our income, God’s happiness will keep from buying what we don’t need and help us look for ways to earn what is needed as we trust God’s promises to provide our needs.
Where then can we find happiness? Since happiness comes from God, it makes since that the closer we get to God the happier we will be. David said, “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy” (Psalm 43:4). “Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You” (Psalm 70:4). When you sense emptiness in your life and a need for happiness, seek after God. You can find Him through His Word. When we discover that our selfishness has blocked the flow of God’s joy, we can seek His forgiveness. We can’t help but rejoice in Christ’s sacrifice that paid for our sin and cleared the way so we can be close to Almighty God. “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy” (Psalm 32:11).
Have you ever wondered if God wants us to be happy? I’ve heard many people say that you have give up being happy if you become a Christian. The truth is that the Bible talks lot about how Christians should be very happy people. For example Jesus said, “I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:22). Or we could turn to the Old Testament and read: “Splendor and majesty are before [God], strength and joy are in His place” (1 Chronicles 16:27); “In Your [i.e. God’s] presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:11). Since the Bible talks about happiness as if it’s possible, why are so few people really happy?
Maybe we’re thinking that happiness is something we have to pursue, rather than a gift that God wants to give to us (as Paul explains in Galatians 5:22). The happiness that we chase after always comes with regrets. Those regrets may come from our guilty conscience, they may be part of the fear that our happiness won’t last, or they may be because the happiness we have still hasn’t met our expectations—we expected it to be even better. The happiness that God gives, on the other hand, is so complete that there are no regrets. God says that, “the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken” (Isaiah 54:10).
The happiness that God gives is so complete that it is a “a joy made full” (John 17:13). Happiness without a hangover—now that’s real happiness! God’s happiness is so full that it continues even when life is hard. When a chronic disease tempts us to think that life is no longer worth living, God’s happiness gives us the strength to keep fighting. When a relationship goes sour and we think that there is no hope, God’s happiness gives us the strength to keep working on that relationship. When it seems like the bills will always be more than our income, God’s happiness will keep from buying what we don’t need and help us look for ways to earn what is needed as we trust God’s promises to provide our needs.
Where then can we find happiness? Since happiness comes from God, it makes since that the closer we get to God the happier we will be. David said, “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy” (Psalm 43:4). “Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You” (Psalm 70:4). When you sense emptiness in your life and a need for happiness, seek after God. You can find Him through His Word. When we discover that our selfishness has blocked the flow of God’s joy, we can seek His forgiveness. We can’t help but rejoice in Christ’s sacrifice that paid for our sin and cleared the way so we can be close to Almighty God. “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy” (Psalm 32:11).
COMMENTS
Ed on 2009-02-14 14:27:55
God's love is always with us, He never leaves. We must, however, keep our guard up for the devil is always close to throw a monkey wrench in our lives, the devil is a deceiver, he can make it look like God's telling us how to go, then everything goes wrong. Our trust in God is how He is able to give us an escape, give us balence, and happiness in our lives. Remember, God is greater than any problem, any circumstance, any situation.(i.e.this past Friday being the 13th) When we are afraid, we can trust in the Lord(Psalm 118), with God,we can take the Valley of Baca(weeping),and turn it into a stream(Psalm 84), when we are fretting, God says FRET NOT(Psalm 37) God is with us, no one can defeat us. That make me feel alot better. How about you?
God's love is always with us, He never leaves. We must, however, keep our guard up for the devil is always close to throw a monkey wrench in our lives, the devil is a deceiver, he can make it look like God's telling us how to go, then everything goes wrong. Our trust in God is how He is able to give us an escape, give us balence, and happiness in our lives. Remember, God is greater than any problem, any circumstance, any situation.(i.e.this past Friday being the 13th) When we are afraid, we can trust in the Lord(Psalm 118), with God,we can take the Valley of Baca(weeping),and turn it into a stream(Psalm 84), when we are fretting, God says FRET NOT(Psalm 37) God is with us, no one can defeat us. That make me feel alot better. How about you?
Melissa on 2009-02-25 15:28:04
Yeah. I've been thinking lately that the devil doesn't really care if we're happy or not. If it keeps us doing what he wants us doing, then why shouldn't he let us be happy?
On the other hand, there are times when God must give us difficult circumstances, which for the moment take away our happiness, but will fill us with true Joy, something that never ends and doesn't leave us with a hangover. Its because He cares about us that He's willing to see us unhappy for a moment. Just as any parent must sometimes see his child be unhappy for a moment, to let him be more fully happy later.
I thank God for His wisdom and kindness in dealing with a sheep like me, who doesn't understand that a moment of being happy now will lead to my destruction later.
Yeah. I've been thinking lately that the devil doesn't really care if we're happy or not. If it keeps us doing what he wants us doing, then why shouldn't he let us be happy?
On the other hand, there are times when God must give us difficult circumstances, which for the moment take away our happiness, but will fill us with true Joy, something that never ends and doesn't leave us with a hangover. Its because He cares about us that He's willing to see us unhappy for a moment. Just as any parent must sometimes see his child be unhappy for a moment, to let him be more fully happy later.
I thank God for His wisdom and kindness in dealing with a sheep like me, who doesn't understand that a moment of being happy now will lead to my destruction later.
