Thursday, August 22, 2024
The Wrong Way to Search for Happiness
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. (Psalm 119:1 NLT)
Many people today who are searching for happiness never will quite find it. As we look at celebrities with all their accomplishments, all their fame, and all their money, so many of them live miserable, empty lives. They’re searching for something in the wrong way.
Happiness is a by-product of holiness. You get your life in order, and happiness soon will follow.
That is why nonbelievers never will know true happiness. They’ll go after the devil’s cheap counterfeits, which are shallow, because they have no deep well from which to draw. The world’s concept of happiness depends on good things happening.
In Psalm 119, we have God’s original design for happiness. We discover how to find and maintain holiness and, as a result, happiness in our lives.
First, we learn that if we want to be holy (and therefore happy) people, then we are to walk in an undefiled way. Verses 1–3 say, “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths” (NLT).
But walking speaks of progression and moving forward as opposed to simply sitting still. So, if you want to be a truly happy and holy person, then it means that you should not only avoid what is wrong but also embrace and actively engage in what is right.
While Scripture tells us in many places what we should not do, it also tells us what we should do. Those who see the Bible and the Christian life as merely a list of rules and regulations have not carefully examined the manual.
Yes, God tells us what to avoid. Yes, He warns us of things that are perilous to our spiritual health. But at the same time, He tells us what to engage in and what we must do.
The Bible tells us to “run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts.” But it also tells us to “pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace” (2 Timothy 2:22 NLT). The Bible also tells us, “Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16 NLT).
Those who are merely trying to avoid what is evil are missing it. There is more. It is not just what you do not do; it’s also what you do. We must engage in spiritual growth. We must engage in godly living. And we must walk in the way of the Lord.
Yet there are many Christians who put in the bare minimum. They engage in spiritual pursuits only when it’s necessary, generally during times of crisis. When everything is going well, when the sky is blue, when the sun is out and the birds are singing, they don’t really have a thought about God.
But when a crisis hits, when the storm clouds gather, suddenly they are calling on the Lord out of necessity. That is not the way to live.
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