The Art Of Happiness
by Billy Moore
The one thing that everybody wants in life is happiness, but being happy doesn't just happen. There is a real art to happiness and each of us must learn how.
Some cannot be happy with nothing, and others cannot be happy with everything. In fact, some folks just never seem to be happy; they don't know what they want in life, but they are sure they don't have it. They do not like who they are, what they are, or what they are doing.
God desires happiness for us and has taught us how to be happy. The sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7), is a wonderful discourse on being happy, but most people have no time to read and study it. We are often just too busy running after whatever it is we think will make us happy. Most just look at others to see what they are doing, then decide that it is what they must do to be happy.
There are some necessary things we must have to be happy.
1. Food and clothing – “but having food and covering we shall be therewith content” (I Timothy 6:8). It would be hard to convince someone that he is happy while he is hungry, thirsty or has no clothing to cover and protect his body. But God has provided. To Adam God said, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat” (Genesis 2:16), “thou shalt eat the herb of the field” (Gen. 3:17-19). The good earth continues to supply food for man. As to clothing, “God made coats of skins and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).
2. Shelter – a house, place to live. There are thousands of “street people” in the country, who have no place to live, but sleep in doorways, or public places. Ask them if they are happy and most would say, “No.” Shelter may be a grass hut or a house of brick, that's not the important thing. A big house doesn't make one happy. “It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house” (Proverbs 25:24). But once again, God has provided. “And Jehovah God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed” (Genesis 2:8). Our houses are made of things God has provided.
3. Someone with whom to share life. This is a natural desire for us all. “And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). God said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:23-24). It is still God's plan that “every man have his own wife” and “every woman have her own husband” (I Corinthians 7:2). Children are the natural result of this marriage and “children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalms 127:3-4 KJV). Solomon said, “Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:9). Once again, God has provided for man’s happiness. There are few who prefer to live alone, but most prefer to have one with whom to share the days and years of life.
4. Something worthwhile to do. “The Lord took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). When man sinned and was put out of the garden, God said, “In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Through the centuries man has had to work to earn his bread (Ephesians 4:28). Man is the provider (I Timothy 5:8), and “if any would not work neither should he eat” (II Thessalonians 3:10). Solomon said, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do , do (it) with thy might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Each of us needs the feeling of accomplishment. Nothing to do leads to boredom … not happiness.
5. A feeling of peace within. After the first sin Adam and Eve were afraid of God and tried to hide themselves from Him (Genesis 3:8-9). A guilty conscience will make one try to avoid God. God designed a plan whereby man could come back into a right relationship with Him. He gave commandments to man, and when he kept them he had a good conscience, when he disobeyed he felt guilty. Cain and Abel brought offerings to the Lord (Genesis 4:3-4; cf Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17).With the development of the nation of Israel, God gave a law to that nation. Then “when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son” (Galatians 4:4), “who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a special people” (Titus 2:14 NKJV). Thus establishing a covenant whereby “whosoever will” may be a child of God and an heir of God, having a good conscience before God. “Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7). To be happiest in life we must have this inner peace – a good conscience – otherwise the burden of guilt would prevent true happiness.
God supplies the basic things for man's happiness. Think of man as God made him and consider what God did for him.
Of the things God has provided, which is most important to man’s happiness? If you say food and clothing, then all who have these should be happy. But this is not the case. The same is true with the other things. The peace within that comes through forgiveness is the most important of all. Although man could not be his happiest without these other things, he may have all of these and be unhappy because he lacks that inner peace. Indeed, “(This is) the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole (duty) of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).