Let’s face it, we all want to be happy. According to the dictionary happiness is a feeling of pleasure or contentment. But it is very circumstantial. And depending on the circumstances you can be happy one moment and sad the next. And as we all know, feelings of happiness can fluctuate quite a bit even over a brief period of time.
I like how Paul David Tripp talks about why holiness should be our main goal in life, and not happiness when he said: “We forget that God’s primary goal is not changing our situations or relationships so that we can be happy but changing us through our situations and relationships so that we will be holy.”1
While happiness may not always be possible, depending on the circumstances, joy can always abide in the Christian’s heart because while happiness depends on positive circumstances, joy depends on our willingness to be obedient to God’s will and commands.
My friends, as we devote our lives to living holy, joy will automatically flood our souls knowing that we are pleasing our Lord and Savior. And the key to holiness is always submitting our will to the will of the Lord and doing everything for the Glory of God. When we do this God will shower us with the joy of the Lord and my friends there is nothing more satisfying than this amazing inner state of contentment!
Only positive circumstances can bring happiness, but all circumstances can bring joy if we are obedient to the commands of the Lord. Happiness and positive feelings come and go, but that joyous state of inner contentment can constantly abide within us as we strive to be holy. And since joy and holiness are so intertwined I for one would rather be holy than happy because I know that being holy will put a smile on the Lord’s face and extraordinary joy in my heart – and what can be more wonderful than that!