Happiness Is...

 Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, Rejoice! 

Philippians 4: 4 NKJV

Back in the day some PR genius discovered a swanky new slogan which became a national rage.  He simply attached the words "Happiness is" to things that seemingly made other people happy.  Soon, there were bumper stickers and T shirts everywhere with phrases from Happiness is a warm puppy to Happiness is finally being divorced.  It seems that everyone was interested in letting others know just what made them happy.  I once had a shirt with the phrase "Happiness is playing hockey," it was great.  I was reminded of those times this week when I saw a young lady at the gym sporting a shirt with a smiley face on the front.  Of course, I wasn't sure if she was trying to let everyone know she was happy or that she simply liked smiling faces.  Personally, I would be all for people to once again start wearing shirts that advertised what made them happy.  Then at least we would know.  If we we were to do such a thing, just how many shirts or bumper stickers would you see out there proclaiming "Happiness is knowing Jesus?"  Now, I don't want to generalize, but I've seen some pretty unhappy Christians in my time.  Hell, I've been unhappy many a time as well.  I would say that knowing Christ, or even Christ in us, does not automatically make us the happiest person in the world.  However, it is definitely a good place to begin.  I think that it is a common misconception that once we become a Christian that we somehow began to walk around with a permanent smile on our faces.  Maybe for some people this might work, but not for me.  For even though we may believe and trust in God, we are still subject to the range of human emotions which our heavenly Father saw fit to create us with.  That's right, everything which we are has been lovingly created by God {Genesis 2:7}.  So, can we therefore theorize that whatever it is that makes God happy will make us happy as well?  Possibly.  Do we not seek justice, fairness and love?  My friends, our heavenly Father adores all of these things.  I would say that many of the very same things which make our own hearts glad also are dear to the Father as well.  I say many of the things because there are still those times where we continue to take joy in what is wrong.  Would the Father celebrate our alcoholism or drug addictions?  Probably not.  Then again, do these things truly make us happy?

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  "You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.  "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."

John 15: 9 - 15 NKJV 

I can recall more than a few bad behaviors that I've indulged in.  None of them I'm sure made my heavenly Father happy.  But I'm pretty sure I know what it is that makes the Father glad.  Jesus shared this truth with us more than a few times.  We're told that if we keep the commandments of Jesus that we will abide in His love {John 15:9}.  I think we can pretty much guarantee that if we know and follow Christ that God will indeed be happy.  I wouldn't put it past God, were He into such things, to sport a T shirt claiming "Happiness is he who knows my Son".  I was thinking this week of something along those lines.  What is it that makes me happy?  I mean, REALLY makes me happy.  Well, I'm usually happy at my happy place a the local gym.  Writing makes me happy, as if that was not already obvious.  Yet, one thing that makes me happy beyond measure is that I am no longer beholden to those things I dabbled in the past which I thought made me happy.  Many things with which I passed my time which had no benefit to my well being.  I cannot ever get those moments back, but I can realize that God brought me to that place for a reason, and that reason was to show me that those things were not in my best interests.  These days, I can honestly say that Happiness is being Jesus.  The apostle Paul could, and did, proclaim the very same thing {Galatians 2:20}.  Think to yourself that you have a new bright yellow T shirt.  On the front of the shirt is a short phrase that only you can complete.  Happiness is....

Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37: 4 NKJV 

~Scott~