Articles
Does God Want You to Be Happy?
It is not uncommon to hear someone rationalize a sinful situation by saying, “Well, I just believe God wants me to be happy.” This is a valid sentiment – God does want us to be happy. But it is a whopper of a misapplication.
First, our chief aim in life is to conform our lives to God’s will simply because He is God! So the whole process of trying to rationalize our behavior and seek our own “happiness” is suspect from the beginning. “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecc 12:13). “Speak, for Your servant hears” (1 Sam 3:10).
Second, what is “happiness?” The way it is used above really means “what I want to do.” Many want to define their own happiness, but the problem is that we are extremely inept at doing this. People do all kinds of things – get drunk, have affairs, swindle others – all because it makes them “happy.” “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer 10:23).
Third, God understands that our happiness is directly linked to doing His will. Yes, God does want us to be happy, and He has told us exactly what makes us happy! What truly makes us happy is to remain married, honor and serve our mate, grow through problems, endure heartaches and setbacks – not frivolously divorce and remarry. Mountains of statistics can be cited which chronicle the unhappiness of adultery and divorce, yet our society continues to indulge in them under the banner of “I want to be happy” (and God wants me to be happy, too!). “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life” (Ps 119:92-93).
Now, in a vacuum most of us would acknowledge the above principles and say a hearty, “Amen!” But we are challenged when our emotions become inflamed, when perhaps a family member finds himself crossways with the will of God, or when carnal desire overwhelms and drive us to search for a plausible rationale to justify sinful satisfaction.
Essentially, this is a trust issue. Do I trust God enough to believe Him when He tells me what will really make me happy?
