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"Happy, Happy"
I previously preached a series about finding happiness and fulfillment in Christ, but let me briefly connect it here in relation to our discussion of faith. Although many Christians believe the basic concept of the pursuit of any happiness is extremely self-centered, I would disagree for one reason. It is a fact that the majority of people do seek happiness for self-gratification and self-fulfillment of oftentimes carnal (ungodly) desires.
However, God created us to be “happy” (remember the Garden of Eden/paradise?). So our ultimate goal to be “happy” is not necessarily fully flawed. It is our plans/ideas/steps for discovering happiness which are usually defective. We mistakenly believe that the realization and fulfillment of all of our worldly (selfish), personal dreams and fantasies and desires and whims and impulses will result in happiness. Everyone eventually realizes (hopefully sooner than later) that they have been cruelly deceived.
Why? Nothing the world offers can ever possibly bring us happiness, because we were created to find happiness only in Christ. We were created (and saved) to find complete fulfillment and peace and joy and such within the framework of a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, this remains the only path to happiness.
Consequently, when we do not believe in God or accept His Son or trust in His will for our lives or daily rely upon the Holy Spirit, we have a zero chance of being happy. Joy and peace and love are actually infused within us when we trust in Christ for salvation and follow God’s will for our daily lives.
In short, do you want to be happy? Then place your faith in Christ and keep it there. Do you want to make God happy? Then trust Him with your very life. Faith pleases God. Follow His will and His ways every single day. This verse confirms the fact that we will never be let down. When we sincerely, honestly seek God with our whole hearts, then He will (as this verse guarantees) reward us for our faith in a multitude of ways, both in this world and in the world to come.
I previously preached a series about finding happiness and fulfillment in Christ, but let me briefly connect it here in relation to our discussion of faith. Although many Christians believe the basic concept of the pursuit of any happiness is extremely self-centered, I would disagree for one reason. It is a fact that the majority of people do seek happiness for self-gratification and self-fulfillment of oftentimes carnal (ungodly) desires.
However, God created us to be “happy” (remember the Garden of Eden/paradise?). So our ultimate goal to be “happy” is not necessarily fully flawed. It is our plans/ideas/steps for discovering happiness which are usually defective. We mistakenly believe that the realization and fulfillment of all of our worldly (selfish), personal dreams and fantasies and desires and whims and impulses will result in happiness. Everyone eventually realizes (hopefully sooner than later) that they have been cruelly deceived.
Why? Nothing the world offers can ever possibly bring us happiness, because we were created to find happiness only in Christ. We were created (and saved) to find complete fulfillment and peace and joy and such within the framework of a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, this remains the only path to happiness.
Consequently, when we do not believe in God or accept His Son or trust in His will for our lives or daily rely upon the Holy Spirit, we have a zero chance of being happy. Joy and peace and love are actually infused within us when we trust in Christ for salvation and follow God’s will for our daily lives.
In short, do you want to be happy? Then place your faith in Christ and keep it there. Do you want to make God happy? Then trust Him with your very life. Faith pleases God. Follow His will and His ways every single day. This verse confirms the fact that we will never be let down. When we sincerely, honestly seek God with our whole hearts, then He will (as this verse guarantees) reward us for our faith in a multitude of ways, both in this world and in the world to come.
