Joy preferred over happiness . . .

 

A 2021 survey of more than 20,000 people around the world asked what makes you happy? The response varied as did the happiest levels from country to country, but the findings revealed that the top reasons for being happy are physical and mental health and well-being, relationship with partner or spouse, a sense of meaning for life, children, living conditions, personal security, being in control of life, nature, meaningful work, and having more money, in that order.

This survey did not report faith in God as a source of happiness. The other eleven main responses vary in how much control anyone has over them, and the idea of having meaning in life is not defined. Reading this list gave me the sense that most of those responses would vary in consistency and frequency making happiness and elusive pursuit.

MacArthur’s thoughts for today separate happiness from joy. While the biblical words can overlap, the experience of God’s joy is not the same as happiness related to favorable circumstances. The Bible says it often: we are to “Rejoice in the Lord.”

Most people experience happiness, but it is fickle. If things are going well, we are happy, but if not, we are not happy. Christian joy is not like that, yet I wonder about its frequency. Many times, our prayer sessions are filled with requests for restored health and sometimes other things on that survey list. Rarely do I hear someone ask God to give joy even in difficulties. More often we ask that He removes our problems.

The NT says to “Rejoice in the Lord” because He is the source and object of Christian joy, a gift from the Holy Spirit that transcends circumstances with all its ups and downs. The key to experiencing this joy is obedience and being filled with the Spirit who produces it.

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:10–11)

The key to being filled with the Spirit is knowing when I am not. If joy is not there, it is being blocked by something that needs to be confessed and repented of, and cleansed by grace.

We are writing these things so that your joy may be complete . . . . If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:4; 9)

These verses show the importance of reading ‘these things’ and of keeping short accounts with God regarding sin. Obviously, confession is vital yet never forget that obedience is preferable!

Being filled with the Spirit is essential to obedience, yet I find that it has an element of surprise — I’ve no idea what God will do with me next! In other words, life is out of my control — one of the items on that survey list that people want to make them happy is being in control.

On the other hand, Christian joy is not about circumstances. The Bible tells me that I can be joyful in trials (James 1:2-4) and that His joy proves my faith is genuine:

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, (1 Peter 1:6–8)

Putting my hope in an eternal God rather than temporary sources of happiness makes sense. It seems impossible at times, but God is “able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 24) so this joy is not a struggle to gain — God does it for me.

Lord, we are often grateful for the good stuff, but I see how I can be grateful for difficulties too, as long as I see them through Your perspective; You are using them for my good! When prayers seem unanswered or the “good” You have me experience seems pointless, You tell me to “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season I will reap, if I do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Thank You for all things and for grace to keep on, forgiveness when I stumble, and joy in the midst of all circumstances.

MORE: Acts 16:11–40 tells of struggles as Paul and Silas planted the church in Philippi. How did God use their difficulties for His glory?

 

The key is joy . . .

 

 

READ Ecclesiastes 5–8

God uses Solomon’s book of wisdom to speak to me today. We have a church picnic right after our worship service. I’m not great with small talk and have entertained the thought of staying home. However God says this: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few . . . .” (Ecclesiastes 5:1–3) His advice for the worship service and the picnic is simple; don’t worry about talking — just listen!

A more sobering thought is an issue that comes with age; life can seem pointless. It has bothered me for a few days. As some say, like is: ‘get up, work, eat, sleep, get up, work, eat, sleep, then you die.’ Solomon’s book calls this “vanity” — a life without meaning. God speaks to this also . . .

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. (Ecclesiastes 5:18–20)

I can relate. I’ve always lived ‘in the moment’ and not in the past. I remember incidents when they are brought up, but for the most part, my thoughts are in the ‘now’ and because of God’s grace, this gift of joy that Solomon writes about has occupied my heart. It is okay to not “much remember” when the Lord grants the ability to accept my lot in life and rejoice in the work He gives.

This is not true for everyone. Solomon realized that and wrote:

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place? (Ecclesiastes 6:1–6)

I am surrounded by many who do not enjoy life or are not thankful for what they have, sad people, and I am sad for them. I know how falling into ‘wanting more’ or being unthankful can make me sad. This is not the way to live. What is the point of life if sorrow is all a person experiences? However, Solomon says a truth that contradicts the usual idea about sorrow. He says . . .

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad . . . . It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:3; 5)

Why is that? It has been my experience with sorrow that the Lord uses it to make me think about what is worthy of joy and what is vanity. He shows me that joy is not in temporal blessings. I can be happy when things go well, but it is the “song of fools” to think that is the only way to be happy. Only the joy that Jesus gives lasts, through good times and sad times of trial and loss. As Solomon says: “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other . . . .” (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

This wise man commends joy, “for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him . . . .” (Ecclesiastes 8:15) And that is the bottom line; God gives joy and I can choose to receive it rather than decide to feel sorry for myself because of life’s challenges. They might be small, such as feeling awkward about chatting with others or large, such a losing a dear one. But joy is available from the One who gives it and who tells me to “Rejoice always” and for that, I thank You, Jesus.