To understand and appreciate the full importance and power of our happiness, we should understand what it cost God and how important it is to accept this gift of Heaven in order to live continually in such a state.
As soon as a small seed of sin arose in Heaven, God already knew where it would lead the universe and what price would have to be paid to destroy the evil that had appeared forever. It could not be done immediately; sin had to develop and reveal its true nature to every inhabitant of Heaven. How a malicious rebellion arose in the purity of Heaven is a mystery, but it happened. God created free beings who could choose. Anxiety and suspicion replaced universal happiness. God’s family divided into opposing sides. During the conflict in Heaven, the Earth and its beautiful inhabitants were created. They fell under Satan’s spell and thus joined the rebellion. To restore His deceived creation to a happy life, God had to pay a very high price. Now all Heaven is interested in those who show an interest in God’s plan for a happy life, which has its own rules and laws. Happiness is not given freely to people who do not even try to understand its true cost. To be happy in the sight of Heaven is a very great responsibility and an extraordinarily high trust that God places in everyone who begins to show a living interest in and longing for what is better and pure.
The Bible contains an interesting warning in Deuteronomy 29:18–20: ‘Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: the LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and His jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.’
Therefore, I consider it important to point out the following. If someone considers himself happy, decides to be happy, and calls himself happy, his life must meet all the criteria of the laws of blessedness that God has revealed in the Bible and that we find and study in our school. If the heart has no connection with God and is filled with lawlessness, I feel sorry for such people, even if they consider themselves happy. Although judgment upon evil deeds is not executed speedily, when God gives a warning or command, He watches to see that it is carried out and expects obedience.
To be happy is blessedness; to call oneself happy is a risk.
As I read the Word of God, I wanted to know what it says about human happiness, and I saw myself in it. I am glad that this narrow path on which the Lord has called me to walk is my path and my personal choice. I see that, living this way, I am happy in Christ Jesus. The Bible affirms that all who enter the narrow path will be blessed. Even in death they are called blessed.
But if we look up the word ‘happiness’ in a concordance, it appears very few times—only thirteen. What other word speaks of biblical happiness? What is it? Blessedness. It appears ninety-nine times. I looked in Wikipedia, where it is briefly described as happiness—a state of goodness and enjoyment. Even the world understands blessedness as happiness. And the Bible has much to say about such a state of mind.
I decided to look at pictures on this subject, and the world understands blessedness in its own way. There are idyllic scenes of nature in shades of pink and blue, tranquility, clear waters, and sunshine. There are also images in which, against the background of these landscapes, naked women are depicted for some reason, their nude bodies combined with the beauty of nature. Or you may see a naked man and woman embracing. One gets the impression that the world imagines blessedness as sand, palm trees, a calm sea, a carefree life, sex between beautiful people, exquisite food, fashionable things, beautiful homes, and cars. And all this requires money—the more, the better. This is blessedness to the world. And a person lying on the shore amid such pleasures is blessed. He is truly ‘happy.’ But is he really?
I remember a family vacation by the sea many years ago. I lay on the sand, but I had no peace in my heart. My eyes looked at naked bodies, and impure thoughts entered my mind. The cares that had not gone anywhere and promised to continue after the vacation weighed upon me, while the money we had saved throughout the year was rapidly running out. Yet the position of my body fit the world’s idea of blessedness. At one point I realized that all of it was vanity and utter emptiness.
If someone asked me to paint a picture portraying true blessedness in Christ Jesus, what would it look like? I think it would be a picture in which, against a background of bloodshed, sickness, suffering, grief, misfortune, deception, and lies, there sits a person who has peace in his heart and peace with God, and whose will rests in obedience to God’s laws. This is how I see happiness. Happiness is God’s gift to His children. It is a reward for obedience and friendship with God. And my answer is, ‘Yes, Lord!’
Darkness and every kind of passion may surround us. We ourselves may be sick or surrounded by unhealthy people. We may be burdened with cares and anxiety, lose money, lose our health, and grow gray from these worries, yet within we are happy because we have found a quiet haven in Christ Jesus. Only in His hand do we truly find rest. He alone is the true Source and Originator of genuine blessedness.
I also came to understand that happiness, or blessedness, is not a generally accepted state reserved for people who are fortunate or favored by fate. It is my desire to be this way and my movement in this direction, guided by the right landmarks. It is my personal choice to become this way as I learn. I decide how I will live and respond to each event. I have the right not to allow others to decide for me how I should regard people who want to spoil my mood.
The world offers many counterfeits of blessedness, but true happiness leads me to God the Father, Who gave His Son so that, believing in Him, I might have Eternal life in Eternal blessedness. Today this may sound vulgar, because to a worldly person a longing for blessedness sounds like a craving for a high, an artificial state of nirvana, or an escape from this world. But God’s blessedness means being continually occupied with good deeds, planning the happiness of others, studying the laws of the universe, bringing all one’s ideas and projects to life, gaining a deep knowledge of God and His Son, enjoying friendly fellowship with all the saints, and doing many, many other things that are deeply interesting and bring joy to the heart. Agape love pays for it all. With every new day of Eternity, it will overflow your mind and seek an outlet for its next investment. Such a life begins here and now. Why, then, do we approach it so cautiously? Why must we be persuaded to be happy? Why is there no line of people waiting to come to God? Yet it is available.
Bible verses for this chapter:
Deuteronomy 33:29; Job 5:17; Psalm 1:1–3; 32:1–2; 33:12; 34:8; 40:4; 41:1; 84:4, 12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 119:1–3; 128:1–2; 144:15