Everyone wants to be happy.  Happiness is being filled with laughter, smiles, and a general satisfied feeling within a person. Many people look for external sources to make them happy. These people become very disappointed because there is little happiness to be had in this world.

The devil creates many deceptions to deceive people into what they think will bring them happiness. He started with Eve. From the beginning he told Eve that God is not looking out for their best interest. If she truly wanted to be happy and have a fulfilled life, she should eat from the forbidden fruit. Eve believed . . . and we know the history of the ruin that followed.

The devil has been sharing the same lie ever since. He presents the ways of the world, the parties, the entertainments, the immoral lifestyle, and tells people they will be happy with these things. He lures them into his trap. He does not tell them that they are in peril of becoming an alcoholic, or of losing all their wealth in the gambling casinos, or the unhappiness that follows an immoral, unfulfilled lifestyle.  No, he hides these facts until he has trapped the person in addiction.

In the Bible we are shown the way to true happiness.

Happiness comes in ways and forms we don’t always understand, but we need to trust in God. He knows what is best.

One meaning of the word “Blessed” is “blissfully happy or contented.” Is this not what God wants for His children, to be blissfully happy? Yes, that is what He wants. That is what He wanted for Adam and Eve; He gave them the Garden of Eden to live in and He provided everything they needed to live a contented life. However, the devil told them something different and they believed the devil . . . ruin followed. The devil lied.

It would behoove us to follow the counsels in the written Word as to the way to be truly blessed—blissfully happy. Recently in our Sabbath School Lessons we studied through Matthew chapter 5, the Beatitudes. These are the most famous verses that begin with “Blessed” . . .  showing God’s way to true happiness, peace and contentment. There are many other places in the Bible also where God is showing us the way to be blissfully happy. This article will explore a few.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:1–2

Is the devil saying something opposite to this? Does he tell the world that you will NOT be happy unless you DO walk in the counsel of the ungodly, sit in the seat of scornful or stand in the way of sinners? Yes, he does.  Peer pressure has led many young people astray. At Home they are taught that the ways of the world are not the ways of God, but their peers mock them and tell them that the only true happiness and freedom is to throw off the yoke and do as you please. They can drink, smoke, party, do drugs, have illicit relations, and be filled with blissful joy. The Christian life is boring, while their life is exciting.  Many Christian young people have believed this lie and have gone after the ways of the world, and met ruin at the end of their lives, unhappiness.

The only true happiness to be found is to delight in the law of the Lord and to keep it—to stay away from the ungodly, sinners and scornful (whether inside or outside the church—yes, you will find some in the church who are not converted). That is the truth and anything else is a lie from the devil.

 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Psalm 32:1–2

When your sins are found out by someone else and they counsel you regarding them, what is your reaction? Do you try to make excuses like Eve and make fig leaf garments? “The fig-leaves represent the arguments used to cover disobedience. When the Lord calls the attention of men and women to the truth, the making of fig-leaves into aprons will be begun, to hide the nakedness of the soul. But the nakedness of the sinner is not covered. All the arguments pieced together by all who have interested themselves in this flimsy work will come to naught.” The Review and Herald, November 15, 1898. On the other hand, do you thank the person and then go to Jesus for forgiveness and healing?  What a wonderful God we serve that is willing to forgive us all our sins, no matter how terrible our past life has been.  And then when we repent, the iniquity will not be imputed in us and there will be no guile (crafty or artful deception) in our spirit—nothing hidden. All will be brought out in the open and confessed—no cover-up. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 18:13

This person is truly happy, blissfully happy. In the Bible are recorded many instances where Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.” And the person left full of happiness and hope.

“Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.  The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.  The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.” Psalm 41:1­–3   

“My appeal to the rich is, Deal liberally with your poor brethren, and use your means to advance the cause of God. The worthy poor, those who are made poor by misfortune and sickness, deserve your special care and help.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 481

The Lord blesses some of His servants with wealth, and to what purpose? So that they can share with the poor, and give to His cause.  Many rich have heaped to themselves their riches and spent them on material goods for themselves. There are some genuine ones who have followed this counsel in Psalm 41, and they are truly blissfully happy. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” More happiness is found in giving rather than receiving.

The Lord has promised an added blessing to those who help the poor.

They will be:

  • Delivered in a time of trouble.
  • The Lord will preserve and keep them alive.
  • They shall be blessed (happy) upon the earth.
  • They will not be delivered to the will of their enemies.
  • The Lord will strengthen them on the bed of languishing.
  • The Lord will make their bed in their sickness.

 

“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” Ecclesiastes 11:1

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” James 1:2

Can you be happy in the face of temptation? Temptation is difficult to bear. Many fall when tempted. They cannot endure. They complain. They finally give in. The promise is that, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13. Do you believe in an Almighty God? One who has the power to create the heavens and the earth? Then does He not have the power to keep you from sinning when tempted? He most certainly does. What is the problem? Some lack faith and try to live the Christian life on their own and not with the help of God.  They fail.  “The strongest temptation is no excuse for sin. No matter how severe the pressure brought to bear upon you, sin is your own act. The seat of the difficulty is the unrenewed heart.” The Adventist Home, p. 331. Temptation will come, that is inevitable. What you do with that temptation is your decision. Give in to it? Or ask God to help you overcome it?   Make up your own mind.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.” James 1:12

“Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!” Ecclesiastes 10:17

Gluttony is a major problem in society today, especially in affluent countries where food is abundant. This all began with the first sin—appetite.  Disease in this modern world is very rife and the majority of illnesses stem from the foods that people eat. The happy man is the healthy man—whether poor or rich.  Eating healthy foods and denying hurtful lusts, is the only way to happiness.

“Those who use flesh foods little know what they are eating. Often if they could see the animals when living and know the quality of the meat they eat, they would turn from it with loathing. People are continually eating flesh that is filled with tuberculosis and cancerous germs. Tuberculosis, cancer, and other fatal diseases are thus communicated.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 388. And, how many people in the world eat meat? Do we wonder why there is so much cancer? Happy is the man that is free from disease.

“Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in His commandments.” Psalm 112:1

“Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.” Isaiah 56:2

Ask a teenager or child if they love rules. Many will say no.  But true happiness comes only from obedience. God has given a law and those who follow it will be truly happy.  Imagine the type of world we would live in if everyone kept the Ten Commandments. It would be heaven on earth. It will never happen, so therefore this earth will come to an end and we will have to wait to get to heaven to enjoy heaven on earth. Although many in the Christian world today claim to love the law, ask them about the Sabbath. Some have said it is a “yoke of bondage” and find some feeble excuses as to why they believe it is not necessary to keep. Some youth and children can’t wait for the Sabbath hours to be over so they can get on with the “fun” things of life—their own pleasure.  But the truly happy person is the one who keeps the Sabbath in its truest sense; keeps the Sabbath as God intended. That is where you can find rest and happiness.

“Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of Thy law;” Psalm 94:15

Who likes chastening? If your employer, a friend, a neighbour, an enemy chastened you, would you smile and say “thank you”?

What is chastening? It is “to restrain; subdue and to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement; to chastise.”

No, not many people like chastening, but “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him:  For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Hebrews 12:5–11.  Praise God when you are chastened by someone. God loves you and wants to correct you of the defects in your character.

“The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20

“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:13–14         

Paul and Silas sang in prison when they were suffering for Christ. Many martyrs in the Dark Ages died rejoicing in Christ. Yes, Christ gave His all for us, what shall we give in return?  To be happy when suffering is opposite to what the world would think, but suffering for Christ brings great joy to the Christian. We do not deserve anything from God, but yet He gave us His most precious possession (His Son) so that we would be saved.

So if you are searching for happiness, continue to study the Word of God. There are many other counsels and suggestions that were not mentioned here. There is hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. Jesus wants you to be happy and He has shown the way—“It is written.” Go find it. You will not be disappointed. No Christian ever came to the end of his life thinking, “I wish I had lived more for the world—I would have led a much more fulfilled life.” But how many worldly people on their death bed have stated, “I wish I had lived more for Christ—I would have led a much more fulfilled life.” True happiness is to be found in the ways of Christ. Believe. . . trust. . . “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” Psalm 34:8.  “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 34:5–6. AMEN

Wendy Eaton