The Bible talks a lot about happiness and joy, and what will bring and hinder those.
Knowing the Lord Jesus as our Savior brings joy and happiness.
I Peter 1:8 reads, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”
Psalm 16:11 reads “[I]n thy presence is fulness of joy . . .”
“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:” Psalm 146:5
There are also things in this world that can make us happy, but without God they won’t last and leave us feeling empty. Proverbs 14:13 reads, “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.” But the joy that the Lord gives us won’t leave us feeling empty.
The world does appear to experience both happiness and joy, but they don’t last. “That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?” (Job. 20.5). Right before being destroyed the Philistines were rejoicing over their false man-made god, Dagon (Judges 16.23).
The joy that the Lord gives us leaves us feeling full and not empty. We read in Acts 2:28, “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.” Proverbs 10:22 reads, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Pr. 10:22). But, there are things that can rob us of the Lord’s joy. David had to ask for forgiveness and pray for the joy of the Lord’s salvation (the joy, and not the Lord’s salvation) to be restored. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 52:12). Part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is “joy” (Gal. 5.22-23). The Bible tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4.30).
It has been said that a sign of a Christian is happiness. It is true that a sign that a person has been saved is joy. But happiness isn’t always appropriate at times. To be right with God we need to have sorrow sometimes. Obviously if we have sinned and hurt our heavenly Father we should experience sorrow (Rom. 7.24). Again the Lord commands us to love our neighbor. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love one another (I Thes. 4.8-9). Loving another will cause concern and possibly pain (II Cor. 2.4). Jesus cried over souls (Matt 23.37). He also cried over the grief of others (John. 11.35). Being Christlike does require tears. Psalm 126:5-6 also reads, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” We sin so many times in a day. The Bible tells us that even the thought of foolishness is sin (Pr. 24.29). It then is not true that Christians will only be happy on this earth.
We get more joy when we get to know more about the Lord.
We got joy when we trusted Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, and we get more joy when we learn more about Him.
“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4
Proverbs 16:20 also reads, “[W]hoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.”
When we get to know the Lord and trust Him, we experience peace and happiness. This verb “trusteth” is present tense. We may have trusted Jesus as our Saviour, but we need to learn to trust Him with the rest of our lives. I John 4:18 reads, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
“ Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24
Reading the Bible brings us joy.
Jeremiah 15:16 reads, “ Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart . . .”
We read in Proverbs 19:18, “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart . . .”
“ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” Proverbs 3:13
And reading the Bible, the Word of God, makes us know more about the Lord.
We get joy when we do what God says.
Jesus said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13:17
Psalm 40:8 reads, “ I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
And doing what God says helps us to learn more about Him. In Psalm 119:100 we read, “I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.” David actually learned about the Lord by doing. “David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine . . .” (I Sam. 17.37).
In II Peter 1:5-8 it lists things to add to our faith (which you should go and read). This lists things like virtue, and brotherly kindness. If we add these things the verse says we will know more about the Lord.
Some more things that make us happy.
Doing good things for God’s people makes us happy!
“O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.” Psalm 16:2-3
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” John 15:11-12
Helping another’s faith brings us joy.
“Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.” Philippians 2:16
“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” II Corinthians 1:24
Spending time with our Saviour makes us happy.
“[W]hatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31
Spending time with the Lord makes us happy. When we include Jesus in what we are doing then it will make us happy.
Hearing the good news that a Saviour was born, brings great joy!
“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
We are happy when we retain wisdom!
We read in Proverbs 3:18, “[H]appy is every one that retaineth her”. The Bible tells us that happy is everyone that retains wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 tells us, “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
The Bible also speaks of those that forsake the guide of their youth (Pr. 2.7). There are many who seem to have walked closer to the Lord when they were younger. It seems like this was the case with David for a time. If we want to be happy in our lives we need to listen to the Lord both when we are young and when we are old. We need to be sure to retain a close relationship with the Lord and listen to what He says. “Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.” (Ecc. 4.13).
If we have found that we aren’t as close to the Lord as we once were, we can still turn around while God gives us life.
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Micah 7:18
And us turning around will cause others great joy.
John said in , III John 1:4 that he had no greater joy than to hear that his children walked in the truth.
Luke 15:7 reads, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
These have been just a few thoughts.
God bless!
When Ravens Cry 