Perhaps one of the most sought after things in the world is happiness. People just want to be happy. There is nothing wrong with being happy . I love being happy. I desire to have people around me that are happy.
The sad thing is, most people don’t know where to find happiness. We are conditioned by the world and the devi through the media and marketing companies that vacations, candy bars, fast food, cleaning products, you name it. We seek our happines in things of the world.
We are all aware that many people are wasting their lives away by seeking happiness in drugs, alcohol, sex or the next big social party. These short lived happy moments are dead end streets. A sure path to misery, self destruction and depression.
I think it is safe to say our present day society is the most materially blessed in the world. We all have labor saving devices, communication equiptment, transportation, entertainment, and leisure activities all at our fingertips.
Despite all these wonderful things that are suppose to make us happy and fulfill us, people are very unhappy, dissatisfied, depressed and suicide rates are soaring,
How many books have been written that are suppose to tell you how to find happiness? They are all showing us that we cannot find happiness in any of these books. There is only one book that can tell us how to find Happiness. The one and only book is the Bible. It truly holds the key to happiness. The Holy Bible.
The Bible instructs us how to find happines in several ways:
- Live life one day at a time. The Bible points out that today is alll we have. Yesterday is gone and if we worry about tomorrow, we are wasting our time. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:34….“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it’s own things. Sufficient for the day is it’s own troubles.”
Let us serve God today with the strength we waste worring about what might happen.
Psalms 118:24… “This is the day that the Lord has made;we will rejoice and be glad in it!”
2. Count Your Blessings. Finding happinness that lasts is a choice we make. God has given us a mind and a free will. Is yourmind thinking about all of your blessings or are you just concentratating and dwelling on all of your problems?
We all have problems. We can not let these rule our lives or take away our joy. We need to choose to think about alll of the wonderful blessing God has given us. Count your blessing instead of your problems. It is vital to our happiness.
James 1:17…“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes from theFather of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. “
3. Be Positive not Negative. Chose to be positive instead of negative. The Christian is the one person in the world that has a reason to be happy, positive and optimistic. Our future as Christians is secure not matter what happens around us. Stay positive and count your blessings.
Romans 8:31… “What then can we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:37-39…“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present, not things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
4. Love Life. Love the life that God has given you. All of us die but some of us have never truly lived! God intends for us to have a peaceful life of happiness, contnintment and joy.
Romans 15:13... “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that your may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
The Christian has every reason to love life because of the great hope that dwells in us by faith. We need to be happy and share this love of Christ to others.
5. Learn to be A Giver, Not a Taker. Acts 20:35…” I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus. It is better to give than to receive.”
Placing our concerns on others helps us not to be selfish and it not only blesses someone else but it helps us to be more like Jesus and to be happy.
6. Keep Your Priorities Straight. It is sad that peolple without Christ have nothing to live for but themselves. There only happiness is what they can find today. Don’t be blinded by Satan. Our happiness cannot be found in possessions. Many rich people without Christ die in the end defeated, lonely and miserable and without hope. Jesus tells us in
Matthew 6:33… “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
For true happiness, stay in the word, grow closer to God. He gives you the power to overcome weakness and be happy.
Proverbs 3:15-21… “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with your posessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase;So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with wine. Do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction;for whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as Father, the son in whom he delights.”
Mitzi Moody 