Everyone longs for happiness, but few possess it. The pursuit of it is universal and timeless. Generations ago, the writers of the United States Declaration of Independence recognized that longing. They wrote that everyone is endued by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, one of which is the pursuit of happiness.
For most people, however, happiness is elusive. To make it even more elusive, many Christians have been told that holiness and happiness just don't go together. That's because in the church, an emphasis has been placed on Jesus as a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
Isaiah 53:5 says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
However, that is not the whole story. The same Bible that says Jesus suffered also says that He was anointed with the oil of gladness above everyone else and that the joy of the Lord is our strength:
"Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" (Heb. 1:9).
"Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Neh. 8:10).
No joy = no strength. This is one of the reasons we have a lot of weak Christians.
So, is true happiness obtainable? And if so, how do we get it?
Learn how you can be truly happy in Andrew's free teaching, How to Be Happy:
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