Focus: Divine Happiness (Pt.3)

Text: Ps.144:15

"Happy is that people, whose God is the LORD." 

Happiness is always connected to one's God-centered choices and Spirit-prompted actions. The choice to trust God and walk in His ways results in one's happiness.

Proverbs says that "he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he" (Prov.14:21). The merciful obtains the mercy of God. Help the poor and needy, and God will make you experience real happiness or blessedness.

In Job, we read, "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty" (Jb.5:17). Happiness is connected to divine discipline. It is a blessing to have God correct you and make you the best that you were designed to be, and you are happy for that. Interestingly, God corrects His people in love.

James writes, "Behold, we count them happy which endure" (Jam.5:11). Happiness is here linked with endurance. Endurance is the ability to wait or hold on. It is power to persevere through trials and troubles. Endurance means not quitting or giving up on yourself, on life, or on hope. It is refusing to be broken at breaking points. It is staying power. It is being patient and poised even under intense or immense pressure. Job endured and held on amid the troubles that ensued in his life. He waited patiently on God. From the top of the ladder he came down to nothing, and yet he refused to surrender to pain and penury. James 5:11 says in full, "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the END of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." James mentions "the end of the Lord." What it means is that Job experienced "the end of the Lord." That end was awesome. You will find it in Job 42:10, which says, "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." This is the end of the Lord. Patience pays off big time.

The psalmist says regarding children, "Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate" (Ps.127:5). For you to get the gist or drift, let us read verses 3 and 4, which say, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth." Happiness is connected to having children. Children are God's blessings, and they bring happiness into the family. Children make family, family. They are a bundle of joy.

In First Kings, we read, "Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom" (1Kgs.10:8). A wise leader makes the faces of his men or officials radiate happiness. In his presence they are happy, and as they hear him speak words of wisdom they are excited. A wise leader makes his people happy and they feel at home in his presence.

Finally, Peter writes, "But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye… If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye" (1Pet.3:14; 4:14). We read of Peter and John that "they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name" (Act.5:41). Peter and John rejoiced for suffering in the name of Jesus Christ. It gave them so much happiness that they could be maltreated and mistreated for Christ's sake. Paul tells us that those who suffered with Christ shall also reign with Him. No one shall ever suffer for Christ in vain. Happiness and suffering for Christ are connected.

The bottom line is that God wants you happy, and if you want to be happy in this life, you now know what to do. Choose to trust and obey God. Choose to live right and do good. Choose to suffer for the sake of Christ, rather than suffering for your own foolishness or sins. I assure you that happiness will surely result from these and other goodly and godly choices you are able to make.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter