Susan feels trapped in a marriage with a man she barely remembers being in love with. He works long hours and comes home exhausted and distant. She comes home from work feeling more frustrated than fulfilled. She started this job years ago thinking she could really make a difference but over time her fire has been put out by higher-ups and administrative protocol.
The kids? Well, there was a time that their common interest of the children gave Susan and James something to talk about, but now that doesn’t even seem to pull them together.
They are two people who have grown apart and grown cold in the process.
Susan listens to a radio sermon on finding your passion and purpose. She decides God wants her to be happy. She is going to quit her job, move out and go follow the road to her dreams.
…
Susan is like many women in the church today, women who feel called to happiness louder than the call to holiness. Women who just know that God is rooting for them to give up their miserable, blah existence for happiness.
So, does God want me to be happy?
We have to understand one mammoth truth when it comes to the business of happiness. We don’t think like God. I can’t think of another way to say it so I’ll say it again. We don’t think like God.
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. Is 55:8
So if we don’t think like God, can we presume to know his happy plans for us? Not unless we go straight to the horses mouth, in this case the Word of God.
Happy is he who keeps the law.
We will never find happiness in disobedience to the law of the Lord. We will never find happiness in unlawful divorce, in living with someone outside of marriage, in forgoing promises and vows to pursue a more desirable path or anything else that God says don’t do.
We will be happy when we follow the law. Here’s the question: Do you know it?
Do you know what God’s expectations are for you as his child, a daughter, a mother, a wife, a friend or employee?
Worship? That’s not what most of us think of when we think of happiness is it? We think happiness comes from achieving our goals, being with the right person, living where we want to live and working where we want to work.
Nope. We are happy when we pay humble adoration and praise to the only one who deserves it.
Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.
You know that thing that you always wanted to do but felt that nagging voice that said don’t do it? Well don’t it.
Don’t flirt with that guy. Don’t ditch your job. Don’t leave your kids. Don’t trade the family life for the night life. You will never find happiness is doing those things you always knew you shouldn’t.
Sister, if you are on a quest for happiness, let it lead you to one place- the throne of God. He will take care of the rest.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5
