Happiness, Doing and Knowing

^{_{(Psalm 128:2) For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.}}

_{^{(Psalm 144:15) Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.}}

_{^{(Psalm 146:5) Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:}}

Are you happy? This is a three word question for a lifelong pursuit. Even the founding fathers of our nation defined this pursuit as an inalienable right. The world'snations spend trillions of dollars chasing it. It seems to be like a rainbow after the storm. You enjoy it for a while, and then it is gone.

You cannot discern happiness by looks; it is a thing deep in the heart or mind or spirit of a person. One couple who apparently enjoyed living together were on their 50^th anniversary “honeymoon” cruise to the Caribbean. They walked passed a newlywed couple on their honeymoon. The lady remarked to her husband, “Look at that young couple. How happy they look!” The old man chuckled, “Don’t read too much into what you see; they are probably saying the same about us!”

Why does happiness seem to come and go like a cool shower on hot summer day? It is because the source of our happiness is not lasting. When the source is gone, the stream dries up. We are parched, dry as a bone and thirsty for another fix. For example, if happiness for you is “steak and taters,” you devour the meal, enjoy the stuffed feeling for a while, and then it’s gone, and you are hungry again. Or, if happiness for you is a ride on that new coaster, you enjoy the thrill and d-o-w-n you go, you and your wallet. How soon it is over and you are broke. If happiness is a football game, you ride the joy of victory and the agony of defeat. Then, the season ends. I can go on and on; it seems the possibilities and the temporary results to feed our fix are unlimited.

Even the ancients saw the fleeting of happiness. The etymology of the word happiness is from a Middle English word ‘hap,’ which meant luck. If my happiness depends on luck, I am not very happy!

However, there is a happiness whose source is with you day and night. This happiness may not always have the excitement of the ball game or the “ha ha” of the comedy, or the thrill of the coaster, but it lasts day and night.

Knowing: Happiness is knowing Christ!

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are the people who know the joyful sound [who understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolized by the feasts]; they walk, O Lord, in the light and favor of Your countenance! (Psalms 89:15 Amplified Bible)

There is great happiness in knowing Christ.. He has made known to us the unknown. He has unveiled to us the secret hid from ages. He assures us that God is love and not wrath, justice and not revenge. Happy is the people that know the Lord.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (16) That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (17) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:14-20 KJV Bible)

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There is no greater happiness than to know the LORD and the love he has for us! I may not always be giggly happy, but I have an eternal happiness in Him! I remember the tale of a farmer who made a weather vane for his farm. He engraves it with the words, "God is love." One of the church elders comes by, and is somewhat offended. He lectures, “What do you mean by this? Are you saying that God’s love is changeable with every wind? Surely, I find that troubling!” The farmer just smiles. He looks towards the heavens and say, “I put it there to remind me that whichever way the wind blows, God loves me!”

Knowing Christ is great happiness. This brings me to an important question, “Why are so many Christians not very happy? If happiness is knowing Christ, they surely know Him. Yet, like spoiled children in a play ground they fight over the ball, and lose the joy of the fellowship.

I remember years ago in school the teacher announces that we kids are to exchange presents for Christmas. I am happy at Christmas as I like gifts. My teacher gives us an upper limit to which we could spend. I have my mom buy a fairly nice gift, and I can hardly wait 'till I get mine! The day comes, and all I get is a coloring book! My happiness took up wings, and I am close to being mad. Well, I am mad!

I remember this, because my static understanding at the time would not allow me to consider the real meaning of Christmas, the very real and limited finances of the other boy’s family and the danger of allowing emotionalism to define my happiness.

There is an unforgettable principle here: There is a direct proportion to the perception of the magnitude of a gift to our happiness!

I did not appreciate the magnitude of the gift. A boy’s family gave and all I saw was the amount of what I received rather than the cost of what they gave.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV Bible)

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When Christians get their eyes on material things that bring material happiness, that happiness has to be temporary because material things are temporary! I am not suggesting that we should not rejoice over material gifts; indeed, we should be thankful. But if we are not as happy (or happier) over our spiritual gifts, we need to retrain our thinking through the Word of God!

Look at the magnitude of the gift of Christ that brings eternal life to us. This source of happiness is not temporary! When I focus on the enormity of Jesus Christ and His gift to me of eternal life, how can I but be full of joy and eternal happiness! All I give to Him is my “coloring book” life. If my happiness is based on my spiritual blessings and the gift of Christ, it is eternal!

Doing: Happiness is doing the things of Christ.

If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (John 13:17 KJV Bible)

Another reason many Christians are not happy is they don’t practice what they preach! I can never rightly know Him 'till I do His will. If love is just an emotion, I can never know for sure that I love Him because my feelings change. When I am up, I am up, and when I am down, I am down. Jesus says that when I know to do right and I do it, then I know the Lord and I love Him. Jesus says happiness ensues because I have fellowship and He delights in me!

The more we abide by His direction, the more we discover a deeper joy in His service. It is even richer than this; It is only when I keep His commandments that I really discover the meaning of His doctrine. Some Christians despise doctrine, but The Doctrine and the Doctor are one, and cannot be separated. Dive deep into Aristotle’s Philosophy if you would catch the mind of Aristotle. Read the early letters of our forefathers, and see their intent for our nation. Live in the Gospels to know the Gospel. Live out Christianity to understand Christianity.

Live out His life in your life and be transformed into His image. If you seek to know the delight of duty, live out the duty of delight! As a child I hated to wash dishes, as a adult I am happy to eat on clean plates. You can’t have one without the other! Christ is no hard Taskmaster. His service is freedom. His will is one with our utmost welfare. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

We are not to do His will in order to earn His grace. We have a debt of sin we cannot pay. To try to do in order to know Him overturns the relations of sinner and Savior. We are too fallible to be a Savior. Service to Christ is not first – it is second. We do not do to win salvation, but it is the happiness outcome of our salvation. I must not work for salvation, but I must always work from salvation. I am not fit to win my Savior’s favor, but I can obey from His favor fully bestowed upon me! O how I love Jesus, because He first loved me!