We worship things that are not God, who alone deserves worship. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. He created us! And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. W Y Every human being was corrupted and made sinful by Adam’s sin.14 We naturally incline toward sin, which leads us to eternal destruction outside of the mercy of God.15 It also means that our instincts, appetites, and thirst for pleasure are disordered. (That, by the way, is a pop song I want to hear: “Stamp Collecting ‘Til We Die.”). That truth is found in the Bible. “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. We idolize sex, or money, or discipline, or even happiness itself. We are saved by trusting in his death in our place and on our behalf, and in his resurrection, which gives us life and victory over death, sin, and Satan. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. This way of life allows us to enjoy the world as it is. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. Nothing ages like happiness.”7 Wilde sharpened the point in A Woman of No Importance, speaking through the character of Lord Illington:  “Moderation is a fatal thing, Lady Hunstanton. Neither approach to life leaves us lastingly happy. When the Bible mentions happiness, it is speaking of something that is self-contained. He leads me beside still waters. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. With all this said, we must know that in following the Lord in faith, we are not signing up for an easy or pain-free life. It’s both. You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. He makes me lie down in green pastures. Unhappy at Work. In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. They show us several things. And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. God is infinitely happy himself. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ... My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.” Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! They have moved away from a restrained, ethical lifestyle and embraced the natural instincts and appetites that seem to promise happiness. But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. The way to become happy is presented simply in Scripture: obedience to God is pleasure. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. It wasn’t only the song’s style but its content that listeners connected to. But he gives more grace. ... Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. Bible Verses About Happiness & Love. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. The quieter path doesn’t yield as many page views, but it can leave the soul shrunken. These worldviews—appetite-gratifying hedonism and self-cleansing improvement—continue to draw many adherents in our day. The righteous person, who trusts in God and not money, has a "green leaf" future!) Again, the Bible says: “He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.” Proverbs 16:20. Name * Email * Website. This is the twist: Happiness is not one or the other. But neither satisfies eternally. It destroys us. And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ... We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES: Jesus identified the key to happiness when he said: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.” (Matthew 5:3) True happiness can be found only if we take steps to fill our greatest need—our hunger for spiritual truth about God and his purpose for us. Two of the most common, however, are hedonism and self-improvement. Bible verses related to Happiness from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance - Sort By Book Order . So while you’re here in my arms, All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. We are constantly battling with our own mind that really, it is so important to keep this stuff in the forefront. The river never ebbs, and we never grow tired of it. From our own perspective, we are like the English writer C. S. Lewis, who would periodically feel a desire to go to a fictional land he called “True North,” a place better than any he knew.12 No one had told Lewis he should want to go there; he had an instinctive pull to this mysterious reservoir of pure delight and unfading happiness. Explore. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Pursuing justice and living generously is what grants us liberation. Psalms 37:4 - Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. In verse 36, He is asked which of the commandments is the greatest. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. In the eighteenth century, the Enlightenment philosopher La Mettrie concurred: “Nature created us all solely to be happy,” and left us to find happiness as we see fit.6 In the late nineteenth century, the talented writer and libertine Oscar Wilde voiced the same perspective. You’ve had some acquaintance with Christian teachings, perhaps, and you’re thinking, This isn’t right. … For when I am weak, then I am strong. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. Why connect dying young to sexual and bodily gratification? The act of crucifixion in itself brought Jesus no joy; the act of obedience to the Father’s will brought Jesus infinite joy.21 Third, Jesus is not only our example as a joy-seeker, but the means by which we may know the Lord and taste the pleasures of obedience.22. Well, dear thinker-in-italic-fonts, I’ve got news for you: I’m going the opposite way. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. In fact, because death is an established reality, one can even live in such a way as to potentially hasten its coming. ‣ And, let’s take a look at what the Bible teaches about happiness at work. Take my hand, I’ll show you the wild side Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Both of these approaches fit within the broadly Epicurean worldview; they represent—nearly 2,500 years after Epicurus first opened his mouth—different poles of the happiness-driven life. I have a wonderful husband, 2 children and 3 grandchildren. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? The Greek philosophical camp known as the Epicureans, for example, advocated that pleasure is the highest good in life. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”, But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”. R Again, the Bible explains that the pursuit of happiness is not the problem. We want and need something greater, something pure, a force that simultaneously ruins us and restores us. That magic that we got nobody can touch. Because when we become Christians, we get to taste the happiness that flows like a rushing river from the Trinity. Whether we seek this feeling through the pounding bass of a 100,000-person dance party, a romantic relationship, a good book, or community service, we must not forget this: We are all pursuing the same thing. Reply. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ... “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, ... Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Because they are divine, they delight in one another. He is the cause of true happiness, and he is happiness itself. First, it’s not only OK but right to seek after joy. Because of Christ, the center of this world, we will all—without exception or diminishment—be happy. You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. What does the Bible say about happiness? “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”. Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. Our appetites and hunger for pleasure are not bad. P ‣ Click To Tweet Happiness … Humanity is hardwired to pursue happiness. Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. God doesn’t want us shivering in the corner, frightened but obedient. Faith in Christ is joy. Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. Discover the top Bible verses about Sadness from the Old and New Testaments. I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. From men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. The Bible Says Happiness Is Found When You Give Up Your Life for Christ. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”. And I wasn’t the only one who noticed McFerrin’s pop song. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. You do not have, because you do not ask. The Bible nowhere promises us happiness in this life, but neither does the Bible say that life is fair. True happiness is achieved by resting upon the Lord. I meditate on it all day long.”19 These texts show us that we grow happy in God through his Word. C And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? He restores my soul. For a readable but longer treatment of how Christianity is pro-pleasure, see Owen Strachan and Douglas Sweeney. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Known as “the Beatitudes,” this first section of Matthew, chapter 5 is made up of several statements beginning with the phrase, “Blessed are…” The word “blessed” in this verse really just means happy. ‣ ... Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. And I wasn’t the only one who noticed McFerrin’s pop song.2 It became a cultural meme. Happiness is a very contagious thing and it makes more people happy. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. Rediscover your joy during the Christmas season and stay focused on what really counts. T OpenBible.info ‣ B ‣ The Holy Trinity is, according to theologian Jonathan Edwards, a “happy society of persons.”17. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; ... You desire and do not have, so you murder. To be unfettered, doing whatever we want, having sex without limit or inhibition—this is what it means to truly live. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. I am a child of God and my faith means a lot to me. ‣ ‣ Read through the biblical references of Sadness and be encouraged by the Word of God. His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. That instinct in us that so many of us feel—what C. S. Lewis called the desire for True North—is given to us to point us to human insufficiency. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Bobby McFerrin, This is a reference to George Orwell’s novel. In fact, His most famous sermon, and most likely one of His first, the sermon on the mount, begins with a primer on happiness. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. Let’s make the most of the night I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 4. In An Ideal Husband, Wilde’s character Lord Goring argues that “Pleasure is the only thing to live for. The psalmist says to God with evident delight: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”16. In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. Knowing God as your Savior is vastly different. . Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. The gentle reggae drew me in, and the words seemed right enough. This is not to say that everyone lives like a stereotypical rock star. But many of us feel the pull to an ethically unaccountable, anything-goes way of life in which we gratify the desires of our flesh. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. Following the Lord does not mean that life becomes some sort of spiritual vapor-experience, where you float two inches off the ground if you’re living obediently—and only one inch if you’re not praying enough. But how exactly does this “becoming happy in God” thing happen? Maybe you’re skeptical at this point. We sometimes gratify our lusts, and that feels good (for a time). One aspect of happiness that the bible does talk about is synonymous with God’s blessing. This philosophy persisted over the ages. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. ‣ If your pursuit of happiness doesn’t resemble the pursuit of Christ, then all your work is for the birds. Quotes. We weren’t each sat down in an Orwellian Happiness Education Center at the age of two or three and made to watch videos dogmatically instructing us to get happy as soon as possible. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. O There are myriad ways in which humanity searches for happiness. Get ready to welcome God and happiness in with these Bible verses about happiness. What does the Bible say about happiness in marriage? God wants you to be happy. Selah His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. The way to become happy is presented simply in Scripture: obedience to God is pleasure. In place of a generic pursuit of happiness above all things, we pursue Jesus Christ—and find impeachable joy in him. Without repentant faith in it, we can’t please God or follow him. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. ‣ This is used a ton, particularly throughout Psalms and Proverbs. I remember hearing the above-quoted upbeat song when I was a seven-year-old in New England. Jesus’ death on the cross was not fair for He was innocent. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. Most do not. The strongest factor in happiness at work is how happy you are away from work. A Deeper Look at What the Bible Says about Happiness, http://www.gutenberg.org/files/885/885-h/885-h.htm, http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/854/pg854.html, http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2007/11/its-friday-thin/. Incredibly good. “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.20, These two verses are loaded with significance in regard to our pursuit of happiness. You know the fountain I mean—it’s the kind that sometimes shoots a huge, unwanted stream of water into your nose but more often yields a trickle so small you have to put your whole mouth around the spigot just to get a sip. Skipping ahead a century or two, we can find many prominent cultural voices that champion the unrestrained pursuit of pleasure in our own day. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. While the Bible does talk about happiness, being happy is not the focus that is shared. Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. 9. Use this table of contents to go to any section: Contents. What does the Bible say about Happiness? ‣ That’s why he went to the cross. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. ‣ What does this say about wealth and trouble? The only way to find happiness is through Him. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. Here are 113 verses related to Happiness. How do we find happiness? They are God-given instincts. I Randy Alcorn spoke at his home church, Good Shepherd Community Church, on the topic of happiness. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. On pop radio stations, for example, you hear singers celebrating extreme pleasure-seeking in songs like Ke$ha’s “Die Young”9: Young hearts, out our minds We go looking for happiness and find not the transcendent God who made us and rules us, but ourselves. But the Bible has good news for sinners; it shows us the path to joy. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. . Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. N The hedonistic creed is basically this: if it feels good, do it. 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