Post by Cindy on Sept 2, 2015 11:46:31 GMT -5
In today's world, the most important thing of all to most everyone is that they be happy. Everyone strives for happiness. If you watch TV commercials, they show that the advertisers are aware that if they can promise happiness, then they can sell their product. Or, if not happiness per se, then something that lends itself toward happiness in our eyes, such as money, power, or prestige, or even just giving us more time to do the things we want to do, which translates to "being happy". Marriages are made and broken over happiness. People get married because they "feel" in love and expect the other person to make them happy. When that doesn't happen, they get divorced, seeking happiness in another person. We often hear people say things about being happy in their work, which is wonderful, but for those who don't enjoy their job, they often take it to mean that somehow they've been slighted and need to look for something that will make them happy - as though that was an inalienable right we all have. Come to think of it, "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence. Perhaps that's partly why over the years we've grown to believe that we deserve to be happy. But what does God have to say about this? Does He want us to be happy?
Of course God wants us to be happy! We can't just leave it at that though, because there's much more to it then there appears to be at first. Parents want their children to be happy too, but still make them go to school, do their homework, eat their vegetables, take a bath, get their immunizations, etc. (all things that to many children do not make them happy at all!) However, the parents know that these things will eventually bring the child happiness which is why they insist on them. It's like that with our Father in Heaven. Yes, He wants us to be happy, but He knows that the only way we can ever truly be happy is when we have a personal relationship with Him and have been made Holy - perfect. That is His goal. So you could say that His goal is for us to be happy and that would be true - but we won't completely see that goal until we are in Heaven and no longer have to deal with our sin nature. In the mean time, while we go through this life on earth, the Lord is busy conforming us to the image of His Son, which is what will eventually bring us that happiness we so desire.
Over and over we're told to put to death to please ourselves. We're told that we belong to God and that we are to live for Him and not for ourselves. We're told to put other people's needs and desires before our own; other people's happiness before our own, and most of all that we are to work to please God, not ourselves. This isn't easy to swallow when the world has taught us from birth that we should see ourselves as "number 1" and take care of ourselves first and foremost. But we will never find true happiness in life as long as self-gratification is our primary focus. We need instead to remember what Jesus said: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) And David who said: “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) For that matter, we should remember just who it is we're to love and what order God told us to love in: God, others, and last of all self.
Does this all mean then that we shouldn't seek to be happy? No, it means that we need to constantly remind ourselves that there is only one place that true happiness can be found and that place is in God. The world would have us believe that we can find it in ourselves, in money, in a spouse, in power, prestige, fame, beauty, and all sorts of things. Ultimately though, none of those things ever give us that happiness. God knows that and He keeps pointing us back toward Him, and toward being Holy like Him. He keeps pointing us that way because He wants us to know true happiness - a happiness that will last for eternity. When we understand that, it helps us understand why God keeps saying to "Be holy as I am Holy." (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 3:11; Ephesians 4:24; Ephesians 1:4; etc) and “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) As parents, we often wish our children understood that the rules we make aren't because we want to make them unhappy, but because we love them and want them to be safe, healthy, and happy. Those are the very same reasons that the Lord made His laws, His rules. He knows that if we will follow them exactly, without excuses, we will be as safe, healthy and happy as anyone can be in this broken world, and further, that if we do so we will eventually find perfect happiness with Him for eternity. So as is often the case, we often need to give up instant gratification for true happiness later.
Of course God wants us to be happy! We can't just leave it at that though, because there's much more to it then there appears to be at first. Parents want their children to be happy too, but still make them go to school, do their homework, eat their vegetables, take a bath, get their immunizations, etc. (all things that to many children do not make them happy at all!) However, the parents know that these things will eventually bring the child happiness which is why they insist on them. It's like that with our Father in Heaven. Yes, He wants us to be happy, but He knows that the only way we can ever truly be happy is when we have a personal relationship with Him and have been made Holy - perfect. That is His goal. So you could say that His goal is for us to be happy and that would be true - but we won't completely see that goal until we are in Heaven and no longer have to deal with our sin nature. In the mean time, while we go through this life on earth, the Lord is busy conforming us to the image of His Son, which is what will eventually bring us that happiness we so desire.
Over and over we're told to put to death to please ourselves. We're told that we belong to God and that we are to live for Him and not for ourselves. We're told to put other people's needs and desires before our own; other people's happiness before our own, and most of all that we are to work to please God, not ourselves. This isn't easy to swallow when the world has taught us from birth that we should see ourselves as "number 1" and take care of ourselves first and foremost. But we will never find true happiness in life as long as self-gratification is our primary focus. We need instead to remember what Jesus said: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) And David who said: “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) For that matter, we should remember just who it is we're to love and what order God told us to love in: God, others, and last of all self.
Does this all mean then that we shouldn't seek to be happy? No, it means that we need to constantly remind ourselves that there is only one place that true happiness can be found and that place is in God. The world would have us believe that we can find it in ourselves, in money, in a spouse, in power, prestige, fame, beauty, and all sorts of things. Ultimately though, none of those things ever give us that happiness. God knows that and He keeps pointing us back toward Him, and toward being Holy like Him. He keeps pointing us that way because He wants us to know true happiness - a happiness that will last for eternity. When we understand that, it helps us understand why God keeps saying to "Be holy as I am Holy." (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 3:11; Ephesians 4:24; Ephesians 1:4; etc) and “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) As parents, we often wish our children understood that the rules we make aren't because we want to make them unhappy, but because we love them and want them to be safe, healthy, and happy. Those are the very same reasons that the Lord made His laws, His rules. He knows that if we will follow them exactly, without excuses, we will be as safe, healthy and happy as anyone can be in this broken world, and further, that if we do so we will eventually find perfect happiness with Him for eternity. So as is often the case, we often need to give up instant gratification for true happiness later.
!!
