If you are…
A general expectation that most people have is to live a happy and trouble-free life. In the definition of happiness we can find words such as satisfaction, pleasure, contentment and joy. Some try to achieve this goal through hard work to get a level of prosperity through which they expect to obtain a lifestyle that brings them happiness. The truth is that prosperity does not ensure happiness or prevents problems. Worse yet , there could be people that in the pursuit of happiness end up achieving the complete opposite, sacrificing their families and affecting their health in the process.
Even if we manage to reach some level of happiness, we face the reality that our possibility to enjoy it is limited by the days of our lives, and this not without problems. After all, “what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:36).
Other people try to achieve a happy and trouble-free life through the word of God. But many also fail to reach it. Why? Because they have an expectation of happiness that is different from the Biblical definition.
Trying to mold the teachings of the Bible to our own definitions is like trying to mold God into our image instead of conforming ourselves to the image of God.
If we read the stories of God’s servants through the Bible we will see that they were not exempt from trials, suffering, diseases, persecution and all kinds of difficulties. All of them had promises, but they were confident that the difficult circumstances surrounding their lives had no negative impact in their expectations of happiness in God (see Hebrews 11).
Biblical Happiness is not limited to earthly concepts. It is not measured by what we can achieve, it is not affected by our problems, and it is not limited to the days of our lives.
Another misconception is the belief that as God’s children we can ‘claim’ a life of happiness, and free from problems and diseases. Jesus himself had a need unmet when he was hungry while being tested at the desert. However, He did not use the bible to justify a miracle to satisfy his need, but rather quoted it in order to glorify God in the midst of his need.
So, what is biblical happiness about? Happiness is not obtained by earning the promises found in the Word of God, but rather by achieving a relationship with the giver of those promises.
Those whose hope is in God can have joy in the midst of trials (James 1:2, 2 Corinthians 8:2), strength in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10), satisfaction in scarcity (Philippians 4:11), contentment with what they have (1 Timothy 6:6-8, Hebrews 13:5), heritage in persecution (Matthew 5:10), and life in death (John 11:25).
Jesus was tempted with the challenge “…if you are the Son of God”, but by obeying the word of God he showed that he was indeed the Son of God. “If you are a child of God” you will attain happiness learning to obey the word of God in the same way that Jesus did.
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