 Proverbs 17:22 says, A happy heart is like good medicine. But a broken spirit drains your strength. As I write this, I have been sick with Covid and then a sinus infection for almost two weeks. I could be miserable and moan and complain but that wouldn't change the way I feel. Even though I am sick, I can still have a good attitude and be grateful for the good things in my life. Even though I feel like death warmed up, the sun is shining and the weather is beautiful, I have family and friends who love and care about me, and God is still good. Science has actually proved that happier people are physically healthier! No matter what your circumstances, be happy, have a good attitude and be grateful - it's like medicine!
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Colossians 1:9-11 says, we always pray that God will show you everything he wants you to do and that you may have all the wisdom and understanding his Spirit gives. Then you will live a life that honors the Lord, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. You will come to know God even better. His glorious power will make you patient and strong enough to endure anything, and you will be truly happy.
Paul prays that: God will show the believers what he wants them to do God's Holy Spirit will give them wisdom and understanding They will live a life that honours God and do Good deeds They will know God better God's power will make them patient and strong They can endure anything They will be truly happy. Biblical happiness comes from all of these things. We can't do anything in our own strength to make ourselves happy - it comes from knowing God, and doing what he wants through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:3 says, And we are also happy with the troubles we have. Why are we happy with troubles? Because we know that these troubles make us more patient. This verse sounds crazy but fits right in to the upside down Gospel of Jesus - the first shall be last (Matthew 19:30), if you want to be great, be the least (Matthew 23:12), whoever wants to save his life will lose it (Matthew 16:5). You get the idea.
Romans 5:3-4 in the International Children's Bible says, And we also have joy with our troubles because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. So our troubles help us to be patient, which grows our character and hope. The next time you are experience suffering or troubles, remember that it is growing your character, patience and hope. Romans 5:2 says, Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God’s grace that we now enjoy. And we are very happy because of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory.
Let's direct this verse: I believe that the blessing of God's grace that we enjoy now refers to the forgiveness of sins (because Jesus died and rose again), God's daily help and guidance through his Holy Spirit, and the peace that he gives. We enjoy these blessings because we have faith in God, we believe in him. God's glory that we will share in refers to the fact that we will be in his presence one day. The hope that Paul talks about isn't wishful thinking, the Phillips paraphrase of the Bible refers to it as happy certainty. Here is Romans 5:2 in my own words: Because we believe in God, we enjoy his grace - forgiveness, comfort, guidance and peace. And we are happy because we know we will spend a glorious eternity with him. Here are some other Bible verses about God's promise of eternal life with him: 1 John 2:25 This is what the Son promised us—eternal life. 1 John 5:13 I write this letter to you who believe in the Son of God. I write so that you will know that you have eternal life now. John 14:1-3 Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am. The thought of spending eternity with God is a great reason to be happy. Romans 5:2 says, Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God’s grace that we now enjoy. And we are very happy because of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory. As if God's grace isn't enough reason to be happy, we are happy because we know that more blessings wait for us in eternity, we will share in his glory. God's Grace means that we are free from the penalty of our sin because of what Jesus did on the cross. The word glory means splendour, magnificence and honour. We will share in this glory when we spend eternity with God. That is something to be happy about.
In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas visited Antioch to tell the Gentiles about Jesus. The other believers were happy to hear about what God was doing in other regions. There are thousands of people working in Countries other than their own, serving the poor and teaching people about Jesus. It makes me really happy to hear what God is doing around the world.
It makes you happy when you pray for and financially support missionaries. It also makes you happy when you serve on a missions trip. I have visited Cambodia four times to visit my sponsor children and serve in the centre where they learn English. It always makes me really happy to see how God is working in that Country. There are many short term mission trips that you can be involved with. You may even consider becoming a missionary one day. Acts 11:23 says, Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. When he went to Antioch and saw how God had blessed the believers there, he was very happy.
When some of the early Christians went and preached about Jesus in Antioch, many people became Christians. It brings God great joy when people follow him. It can also make us happy too. It makes me happy just watching videos of kids getting a new puppy. It makes me way happier when I see people choosing to follow Jesus. When I see people get baptised, I'm so happy it makes me cry. Luke 15:8-10 is the parable of the lost coin. Jesus told the people another story: What will a woman do if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them? Won't she light a lamp, sweep the floor, and look carefully until she finds it? Then she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, “Let's celebrate! I've found the coin I lost.” Jesus said, “In the same way God's angels are happy when even one person turns to him.” Even the angels are happy when someone repents and follows Jesus. The Christians in the early church found happiness in sharing their belongings, homes and purpose. Acts 2:42-26 says, The believers spent their time listening to the teaching of the apostles. They shared everything with each other. They ate together and prayed together. Many wonders and miraculous signs were happening through the apostles, and everyone felt great respect for God. All the believers stayed together and shared everything. They sold their land and the things they owned. Then they divided the money and gave it to those who needed it. The believers shared a common purpose, and every day they spent much of their time together in the Temple area. They also ate together in their homes. They were happy to share their food and ate with joyful hearts.
I think that one of the reasons people are so unhappy today is that we are isolated. We are surrounded by other people, but we're always so busy, or so connected to our phones that we miss real connection with other people. In Acts 2, the christians in the early church did several things which contributed to their experience of true happiness: 1. Listened to Biblical teaching. 2. Shared everything with each other. 3. Ate together 4. Prayed together. 5. Spent time with other believers. 6. Had a common purpose. 7. Spent a lot of time at church. 8. Shared their food and ate together. All of these things help us to live with one common purpose (to love God and love others) and to be happy. Choose one of these things to do more of this week. Invite a friend over for dinner, pray with someone, go to a Bible study, spend time with other Christians, share your lunch... John 17:3 says, I say all this so that these followers can have the true happiness that I have. I want them to be completely happy. This is part of a prayer that Jesus prayed on the night he was betrayed by Judas. What is the 'all this' that Jesus was referring to?
Jesus prayed that:
Give glory to your Son so that the Son can give glory to you. Glory means honour or praise. He was asking for glory from God so that God would be glorified in his death and resurrection.
I am asking that you keep them safe from the Evil One.
Make them ready for your service through your truth. Your teaching is truth.
Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us.
I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. We can enjoy the same true happiness that Jesus has from glorifying God the Father. This happiness also comes from the protection, teaching and unity that is ours in Christ. In John 15 Jesus had been talking to the disciples about being connected to him, like a branch is connected to the vine. John 15:11-12 says, I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. This is what I command you: Love each other as I have loved you. To really understand these verses, you need to read what Jesus said in the passage before them.
John 15:8-10 Stay joined together with me, and follow my teachings. If you do this, you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. Show that you are my followers by producing much fruit. This will bring honor to my Father. I have loved you as the Father has loved me. Now continue in my love. I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and he continues to love me. In the same way, if you obey my commands, I will continue to love you. There's so much in this passage, but basically Jesus is saying that if you stay connected to him, obey his commandments, and love others, you will know true happiness. What a great promise and a great challenge. A lot of us are more connected to our phones than we are to Jesus and that doesn't bring true happiness. In fact, quite the opposite, being connected to your phone too much can make you depressed. Stay connected to Jesus through prayer, worship, reading and studying the Bible, serving others, being grateful and loving others and experience true happiness! |
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