Finding Happiness in the Christian Life

 Finding Happiness in the Christian Life

"He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he."

-Proverbs 16:20

This verse breaks into two distinct parts:

 1. Aligning our lives with the word, we find good things as we seek to line up our will with God's will. This means embracing good things and shedding those that lead us in other directions.

 2. Trusting we in faith follow Jesus Christ alone. We no longer trust that we know better than God and embrace things contradictory to the word.

These 2 simple rules are easier said than done but nothing of great value comes easily. There is always a cost, sacrifice, and submission to become teachable moldable to gain a new thing of value. Those things earned here may have some value here but not for eternity. All things gained with God have eternal value and reward. Where are you laying up treasures?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

-Matthew 6:19-21

What you treasure is also what you are currently seeking each day. Often this conflicts with what we say is our priority. What do you spend your time, thoughts, and passion pursuing? That is what you are valuing. You may find that your priorities have been disordered and lesser things have become your greater things. Sometimes things that shouldn't even be passions have become the time consumer. Choose wisely how you use the most important asset you have...time.

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

- Joshua 24:15

What does this mean? It means that it's a choice. We make choices every day. Not all of them are God-honoring ones. We can serve self or we can serve God. Self is based on pride and opposed to God. You can start changing how you choose my avoiding biblical compromise. If your choices or beliefs are opposed to God, you are walking in pride rather than walking with God. Small compromises become big ones in time as you teach yourself to compromise. A committed life requires discipline and firm standards. What are we committed to? God. He wants better for us.

I like to quote Joseph in a decision situation. He didn't see his decisions as right or wrong. He saw his decisions as God-honoring or God-dishonoring. Would God approve of what he thought about doing and what he did?

"How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"

-Genesis 39:9

So in short, happiness springs out of a commitment not to compromise. When we comprise we dishonor God by our life choices. Choose instead to live a free life of happiness, free of Satan's influence, free of guilt, free of negative consequences, free of regret, free of being control by substances, free of anxiety, free of fear, free to be all that God intended for your life with meaning, purpose, and eternal reward. There is freedom in Christ! We now have the power of the Holy Spirit to empower us. We are without excuse. Listen and obey. Then, you will be free and happy!