RESISTING HAPPINESS   #407

Good Morning, Meetpastordan Readers…I suspect that today’s title-line may have seemed a bit weird to many of you, and I can perfectly understand that. No doubt, if you were to ask ten people if they would rather be happy or unhappy, you would probably get a unanimous vote for “happy”.  That’s because we are hard wired to get our basic needs met, such as air, food, water, clothing, shelter, warmth and sleep. But we also have to consider our psychological and emotional well-being, such as feeling loved, respected, safe, valued and desired if our goal is to find that positive state of “homeostasis”. (How’s that for a “cost of tuition” word? The good news is…I’ve already looked it up.  “Homeostasis” is a self-regulating process that regulates internal variables necessary to sustain life. In other words, “homeostasis” is a mechanism that maintains a stable internal environment despite the changes present in the external environment.) When these factors get out of whack, we find ourselves in a tail spin.

The simple truth is, like most other people, I always searched for happiness. From infancy on, I learned what I liked and what I didn’t like. Therefore, my “self-centered” nature always led me toward that “feel good” decision. No doubt, some of my choices were thwarted by my parents, my teachers, or even by some of my best friends, because when I look back now, I can see that they had my best interest at heart. But truth be told, more often than not I pushed the envelope to get as much as I wanted, when I wanted it. All too often I was willing to do whatever I had to do to satisfy “self.” (FYI…this behavior is a sure-fired pathway to addiction.)

Now let’s look at a simple definition of “happiness”…my definition. I believe that “happiness” is an outside job, meaning it exists when circumstances line up with my intentions. For instance, I would be happy IF she would just go out with me; I would be happy IF I had that job; I’ll be happy WHEN this project is over; or I would be happier IF I just had a bigger house.  As you can see from these examples, to reach that elusive state of happiness, it is dependent upon circumstances, people or things fulfilling this equation: you + ? = fulfillment.  People change; cars lose their sparkle, and that new job may be the source of unforeseen stress and strain. Therefore, happiness is temporal. When that state of fulfillment fades away, you find yourself returning to the well to get your next fix.

In the above paragraph, did you take notice of the number of “I” statements? When searching for that elusive happiness, it is usually tied in with the desire to exalt, pleasure or promote self. When your focus is on “me”, “me”, and “me”, whether you know it or not, you have slipped back under the law. This means that you are counting on your best effort to accomplish your purpose. Now compare that scenario with the truth found in Matthew 6:33: “If you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things will be added to you.” And what are “all these things?” All these things are in the previous two paragraphs that Man works so hard to get. But if we seek first His kingdom with a desire to bring honor and glory to Him, He will honor us by providing those desires as blessings. (Just for clarity… as long as our desires are in line with His will.)

Unfortunately, most people settle for happiness when they could be experiencing joy. Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit, as listed in Galatians 5:22-23: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” And joy, unlike happiness, is an inside job.  It is not dependent on people, places or things to fulfill our needs. The source of joy is also quite different from the source happiness, in that it is a spiritual process.  According to Theopedia, “joy is a state of mind, and an orientation of the heart.” That very inclusion of “the heart” is the true difference between happiness and joy. The later definition is the result of “transformation”, which means “we’ve chosen to change our nature, or our character.

Once we make the decision to accept God’s gift of grace (meaning, we are were willing to surrender to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior), we are poised to start a journey that leads to transformation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 succinctly explains this: “We are a new creation in Christ. The old is gone (we are no longer enslaved to our “sin nature”), the new has come.” (indwelling Holy Spirit) This means that we have made a decision to change our ways (repentance), and we no longer want to make the same “default choices” that characterized our old nature.  Galatians 5:16-18 explains this. “I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just the opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives you desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other and your choices are never free from this conflict. But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer slaves to your sin-nature.”

Part of God’s salvation plan for us was/is the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Since Man proved his inability to rise above his “sin-nature” from Creation until the coming of Jesus Christ 2021 years ago, God gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us to become the person He created us to be.  Ephesians 2:10 substantiates that: “We are NOW His masterpiece. He has created us anew in Jesus Christ, so that we can NOW do the good things He planned for us long ago.”  (my added emphasis) We are NOW in the process of becoming more Christ-like, and this is a life- long journey.  Remember, before we accepted God’s gift of grace, our only hope for over-coming our flesh, the world, and satan was our very best effort. Romans 5:6 is our report card on that endeavor: “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” (Apostle Paul included himself in this indictment)

2 Peter 1:3 tells us: “The more we grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ, His divine nature gives us everything we need for living a Godly life.”  We have been gifted with the ability to tap into the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to insure our victory over the dark domain. Knowing that truth and walking in that truth gives us an incredible sense of confidence, strength, and patience. It is no longer about our best effort, but about getting out of the way so the Holy Spirit can work through us.

“And how does that happen”, you might ask?  We call the Holy Spirit into action to empower us to make choices that bring honor and glory to God. We say aloud, “Holy Spirit, give me your wisdom, courage, strength, patience, perseverance, eyes to see, ears to hear –whatever it is we need – to honor Him.   James 4:10 reinforces this statement. “When we come humbly before the Lord and admit our dependence on Him, He will lift us up and give us honor.”  When we know who we are in Christ, and the power that comes from that identity, how can we not be bubbling over with JOY; how can we not have a thankful heart?

To recap: Why settle for temporal happiness, when you can have abounding JOY?  After all, “Christ came to give us life, and life to the fullest!”  (John 10:10)

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May God Bless You abundantly

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)