Happiness and Holiness

Psalm 7:17 “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.”

The American Declaration of Independence says; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The pursuit of happiness is an American Right, but first, did you know that happiness is a choice? I read a story about a man who said to a beggar one day, “Good day my friend.” The beggar answered, “Well, thank you, but I never have a bad one.”  The man responded, “Well, may God give you a happy life, my friend.” And the beggar replied, “I thank God that I am never unhappy.” The man was speechless. And the beggar continued, “When I have plenty to eat, I thank God. When I am hungry, I thank God. If it is God’s will for me to endure this, then whatever is God’s will for me makes me happy.” He chose to put his trust in the Lord and be happy despite his circumstances. It’s all in your perspective. Kids of any and all ages can have every latest and greatest toy and yet not have sustained happiness. While, others can make due with what they have and have contentment. God loves you and I every second of every day and because we put our trust in the finished atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins, we have Heaven on the horizon always. 

Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Second, a Christian should be filled with joy. It’s one of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5. But we can’t take any credit for it. It is Jesus who gives us joy and satisfaction. We couldn’t have found it had we been searching for it, but by first finding, knowing, and growing in Christ, He has filled us with an overflowing joy. Do you know what the devil will tell you? That holiness and happiness don’t go together. He will tell you that if you make up your mind to live a holy life, then you won’t have any fun. Friend, the devil is a liar. You’ll never know true satisfaction, happiness and joy until you find it in the right place. You’ll never enjoy the good things of life until you know Jesus and the God things of life. Oh, how sweet to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Full that Christ-shaped hole your heart and watch the happiness flow. The pursuit of holiness is the pursuit of happiness. Find it.

In Christ, Brian