Happiness (part 1)

Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:15b
Happy is the man whose hope is in the Lord his God. . . . Psalm 146:5 Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding. Proverbs 3:13

The Scripture is very clear about what makes us, or ought to make us, happy. I want to be clear that I am not talking about joy, or peace, or feeling good about something. Rather, I am talking about a genuine deep and abiding happiness that is sufficient for this present life.

In his book “Authentic Happiness” Martin Seligman, one of the founders of Positive Psychology, describes happiness as consisting of both positive emotions (such as ecstasy and comfort) and positive activities (such as absorption and engagement). He says that present happiness is based on positive emotions relating to both the past and the future.

Positive emotions relating to the past include satisfaction, contentment, pride and serenity. Positive emotions relating to the future include optimism, hope and trust. We find all of that in a right relationship with our Lord God. I am satisfied that He has redeemed me for the curse of sin, and I am content with His empowering Spirit dwelling in me, and proud of the reality that He has chosen me to be his Ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20a). I am optimistic that He will continue to provide for me according to His promises, my hope lies in the veracity of His Word which has never failed from the creation of life, and I am trusting fully in my Savior’s promise that He will never leave me, or forsake me, and will return bodily to take me to my eternal dwelling place in His presence.

Because of that Truth, positive activities abound. I am absorbed and engaged in the “Body of Christ,” exercising my supernatural gift to edify the believers, giving and receiving acceptance, forbearance, kindness, comfort, exhortation, forgiveness and llove. (And on some occasions, praise God, I am greeted with a “holy kiss” or two)

How can I not be happy? Unhappiness comes when I allow the enemy to snatch away my positive emotions, and leave me believing my positive activities are worthless and useless. According to him, God doesn’t llove me anymore, and my family of believers has turned away from my llove – or, is unwilling to provide those positive activities toward me. When I accept that lie, happiness flees.

I choose happiness. It’s my birthright, and I won’t let it go!