How Can I Live A Happy Life?

If you were to ask your family or friends this question, "What is the one thing you want most in this life?" What do you think their answer would be? What is the first answer that pops into your mind? I bet many people would answer that question like this, "I just want to be happy."

Do you believe that America is a happy nation? I read in a recent study that America was 19th of out 154 countries in the world in the happiness rankings. Indeed, living in America doesn't promise you will possess happiness, but you are free to pursue happiness.

Evidently, Finland is the world's happiest country. Finland's website says the country's happiness "has a lot to do with our daily habits: a short walk in the forest, going ice swimming or tasting something fresh from nature."

The Bible gives us the pathway to a happy life. Psalm 1 lays out a clear plan and path for happy living and consistently blessed life. This opening Psalms’ promise summarized is, “If you want to be happier, read this book. If you want to be a person who bears fruit in season, read this book.”

Happiness and blessed living come from one primary source, the Word of God. If you read it regularly, you will be like a tree beside divinely flowing streams. Perhaps a challenge is more Bible, less Netflix binge-watching. More Scripture and less screen time. Maybe some of our unhappiness as a nation and people has to do with increasing online time comparing and competing with others and ever decreasing Scripture time drawing on God's abundant resources for life.

Thankfully, God's word can speak to us right where we are and give us the wisdom we need to be blessed and happy people. Let's notice there are some things that happy people do and do not do, according to Psalm 1.

I. Happy people avoid some people.

Wait, aren't we supposed to love everyone as Christians? Yes. However, the Bible also warns us to watch our associations. For example, the Psalmist gives us three kinds of people to avoid.

    A. Avoid walking in the counsel of the ungodly (Psalm 1:1a)

The counsel of the ungodly refers to advice that encourages people to live sinful lives without concern for righteous living and obedience to God. Interestingly, happy people are not people who say "yes," to everything. They have also learned to say "no," to some things.

Happy people are not going to listen to everyone. For example, McDonald's does a great job of making us think if we eat their Happy Meals, we will be happy people. Now, I like McDonald's from time to time. However, if my diet consists only of Happy Meals, I will be neither healthy nor happy!

Many people are in the habit of listening to an ungodly culture for advice on marriage, money, or relationships. The key is, who are you listening to? Are the people you associate with telling you their opinions or experiences alone, or are they telling you what the Word of God says? Everyone has an opinion, but happy people routinely listen first to what God says in His Word.

    B. Avoid standing in the path of sinners (Psalm 1:1b)

To stand in the path of sinners means you remain or linger in the presence of people with an evil character. A healthy habit is to take inventory of the people around you. Many people spend hours a day online. Are people online drawing you closer to the Lord? Are they encouraging you to follow God in obedience? Or do they fill your life with drama, discord, and discouragement?

Does this mean I can only hang around Christian people or go to church day in and day out? Of course not. Jesus said we are to be in this world but not of this world. From time to time, Jesus associated with sinners, castaways, and money-hungry people. However, Jesus did not do that to become like them. Instead, He was the friend of sinners because he compassionately loved them and came to seek and save that which was lost.

    C. Avoid sitting in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1c)

Note the direction the Psalmist is taking us here. He's not moving us upward but downward. He is taking us from walking to standing, and now we are sitting. He shows us that sinful living is like a slippery slope. Some believers may be tempted to associate with people with great outward success because knowing "high rollers" might make them feel as if they have arrived, too. Be careful, or the people surrounding you will be those who mock God and scoff at God.

Do we see this going on in our nation today? Psalm 33:12, Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance.” I remember growing up in a time where our public school where our teacher began class daily with a reading from God's Word. We had the ten commandments hanging on every classroom wall. Of course, we were not a perfect nation or people then or now. However, we are blessed anytime we learn more about the Lord.