Does God Want Me To Be Happy?

Pause:

Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down, and focus on Jesus.

Pray and ask Him to open your eyes to see as you read the Scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.

Read:

Psalm 37:1-9 (CSB): “Do not be agitated by evildoers;do not envy those who do wrong. For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants. Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act, making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday. Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the person who carries out evil plans. Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated—it can only bring harm. For evildoers will be destroyed, but those who put their hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

1 Peter 1:6-9 (CSB): “You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Going Deeper: 

The short answer is: yes, God wants us to be happy. He’s a good Father that loves to give us good gifts. And yet, God doesn’t want us to just be happy. He desires the ultimate good for us and for the entire world, which can only be one thing: knowing Jesus and becoming more and more like Him. Often, that process is partnered with our God-given desires and the peace and joy of a life following Him. However, that good process can also include suffering, and may also conflict with what we desire, meaning the sacrifice of our short-term happiness. Other times, in the midst of tragedy or through ongoing pain, it can be difficult to believe that God is working all things for our good, and happiness seems far off.

Yet, whether or not we feel happy, God has given us something greater than just happiness: “inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” No matter our current circumstances or desires or happiness, we always have one thing: Jesus. We always have His Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we always have His love and favor, and we always have the hope of being with Him for eternity.

In Psalm 37, David compares the joy of knowing God with the short-term gains of doing evil. He tells us, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” This verse doesn’t mean, “If you’re good, God makes you happy.” In the context, this Psalm is about the righteousness and goodness available to us when we have a relationship with God, when we “trust in the Lord,” “commit your way to the Lord,” put our “hope in the Lord,” and “wait expectantly for him.” If we are “taking delight in the Lord,” aren’t the desires of our heart being fulfilled before our eyes? He fulfills us as we take delight in his presence and as we enjoy our relationship with Him.

Though we suffer grief, though there is evil and injustice around us, and though we may not always feel happy, we have access to a permanent and unshakable joy because we have a permanent God. He has paid the price to ensure that our relationship with Him is unshakable, and that nothing can separate us from Him. May we take hold of this joy as we remember that we are receiving the goal of our faith, the salvation of our souls!

Pray:

Lord, thank you for the joy of your salvation. Spirit, please fill me with true joy and remind me of what I’ve been given in Christ. Lord, open my eyes to see your goodness and teach my heart to delight in you. When I’m in pain and don’t feel happy, would you comfort me with the inexpressible joy of knowing Jesus? Thank you for making a way for me to know you and enjoy you without any obstacles. Amen.

Listen:

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you today?

Apply:

What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?