We’re beginning a new series today called The God Questions.
It’s okay to ask God questions and its okay to ask questions about God because God has the answers. That’s what we’re going to do in this new series. We’re going to try and answer some essential God questions.
The reason we’re doing this is because the answers to these questions are vital to the purpose God has for your life.
If you get the wrong answers to some of these questions you can really become disillusioned with life and miss out on what God has for you; you can miss out on God’s will – which is more important than anything in your existence. The question is not, “Where does God fit into the story of my life,” but, “Where does my life fit into the plan and purpose of God?”
A lot of people are missing out on living the wonderful will of God for their lives because they’ve accepted the wrong answer to the God questions. One extreme example would be terrorism. We often ask ourselves how can some men be so misguided that they take innocent lives in the name of their god? The answer is – because they were given wrong answers about who God is and what He’s really like.
But it’s not just military malcontents like terrorists or dictators that have the wrong answers about God. Every one of us is subject to coming to wrong conclusions about God because of the deluge of misinformation on the subject.
In our culture, we’ve been told over and over again that, either God doesn’t really exist or, if He does, the true concept of His love, grace, mercy, holiness, wisdom and power is greatly diminished. So that’s why we’re going to take several weeks and address The God Questions.
Besides, it’s not safe anymore to assume that the answers to questions about God are well known, not in post-Christian American culture. A lot of people still wrestle with the questions we’re going to tackle.
The first God question for our consideration is “Do I Need God to Be Happy?”
When people ask me this question I usually respond, “Define happiness.” Your definition of happiness will determine the answer to this question.
Happiness is one of those words that can play tricks on you. You think the meaning is very simple and yet at times it can be very complicated.
One of the people I consider to be one of the happiest guys I’ve ever met is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Yet he’s always smiling, always telling jokes, almost always in a good humor. A lot of people would say it would be impossible for them to be “happy” if similarly demobilized for the rest of their lives. That’s because to a lot of people, happiness relates to physical circumstances. But my friend Luther is genuinely happy – even though his life is drastically inconvenienced by his physical circumstances.
The definition of happiness to a lot of people has to do with their circumstances. If they enjoy relative financial ease, if they’re healthy most of the time, if they have a loving family, and if there aren’t too many serious problems in their life – then, they’re “happy.”
If that’s your definition of happiness – if happiness is living a life of relative ease - then you don’t really need a personal relationship with God – you just need your circumstances to line up in a way that satisfies you.
There is indeed a certain level of happiness you can achieve without knowing God. But knowing God makes such a huge difference. Think of it like this. Riding a tricycle seems fun to a child, but when that child grows up and drives a Porsche, the tricycle seems pretty boring. You might think you’ve got all you’d ever want out of life, but you need to realize you may be saying that from the perspective of someone riding a tricycle.
The reason a lot of people don’t sense any need for God in their life is because they basically have what they desire. They desire a life of positive circumstances that will make them happy. Some extra cash, a loving family, some friends, some fun and they’re happy.
A lot of people who have this view of happiness are just working and waiting for their circumstances to change in order to be happy. Inside they’re thinking things like: “I’ll be happy when I get a better job; when I find a husband or wife; when I strike it rich; when I get rid of these aches and pains; when my kid gets potty trained…(and any parent will tell you that that is a happy day!)”
But there are inherent problems with this concept of happiness – the concept that “happiness depends on my outward circumstances.”
Two big problems:
1) None of us has complete control over our circumstances. What are you going to do when your circumstances don’t fit your expectations? (Which is basically called “life.”) Happiness, according to that definition, alludes you.
2) Then there’s the big question - what about forever? What about when this life is over? What about eternity? If happiness is all about our satisfaction and gratification in this life, what about the next life? What if you are not just a physical being but a spiritual being also? What if you reject God and are eternally unhappy even if you were happy for a brief time in this existence?
Your definition of happiness is central to answering the question; Do I need God to be happy?
Ask Britney Spears why she shaved her head and has checked in and out of rehab centers. And I’m not making fun of her. We should all hate to see anyone so messed up – so unhappy. Didn’t take her long in life to realize she’s been sold a counterfeit idea of happiness. She has money, she has fame, she enjoys the pleasures of life. She parties long and hard. But she’s not happy. A lot of people are envious of her fame and fortune, her talent and opportunity. But those things aren’t what make us happy.
Or take Anna Nicole Smith. Glamour and money did not make her happy. Why? Because that’s not what happiness is really all about. Happiness is not leading a life of ease and enjoying all the pleasures life has to offer.
That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want us to enjoy some things in life. We’ll talk more about that in a few weeks when we answer the God question, “Is God Against Sex, Fun and Pleasure?” You can probably guess the answer, “No, God isn’t against sex, fun and pleasure, but He has given us boundaries against abusing sex, fun and pleasure. And these boundaries are for our own good. These boundaries are for our happiness!” (You were created in God’s image. The Bible says He experiences pleasure and joy. He wants you to as wel!)
I want to be totally honest and forthright with you. Happiness doesn’t come from putting our pleasure first, or, here’s an ironic twist for you; HAPPINESS DOES NOT COME FROM PUTTING OUR OWN HAPPINESS FIRST!
So where does it come from? And where does God fit into the picture? Do I need God to be happy? The quick and unequivocal answer is yes! And let me show you why.
Two Big Reasons why I need God to be happy:
1. JESUS IS A BETTER LORD THAN I AM.
[I use Jesus interchangeably with God since I believe He is God. If you still have questions about whether or not Jesus is God please return on Easter Sunday for the God Question: “Is Jesus God?”]
Happiness is not about circumstances. It doesn’t come from having everything go my way. It’s not about a life of positive and pleasing situations all the time.
Do I need a relationship with God to be happy? Let’s take one famous man’s example.
When the Apostle Paul was in prison, where he had been incarcerated for preaching the Good News about Jesus, one of the letters he wrote was to the Christ followers in the city of Philippi, in ancient Greece. The recipients of this letter were suffering, and they were poor.
Interesting. Here you have a letter being written by a guy in tough circumstances writing to a group of people also in difficult circumstances and he expresses this exuberant happiness. Instead of saying, “woe is me, I’m so unhappy. God won’t you make my circumstances better so I can be happy again?” He doesn’t respond that way at all. Instead, he has this winning attitude that causes you to envision him sitting in jail with this big grin on his face.
Look at what he says:
"Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ." Philippians 3:8 (CEV)
That’s the declaration of a happy person! Paul didn’t need perfect surroundings to be happy. He needed an ongoing and growing relationship with Christ Jesus AS HIS LORD.
Before you convict me of being guilty of circular reasoning by using the Bible to answer the question about whether or not we need God to be happy, let me point out that all of us has someone or something as our lord.
The word “lord” means “master,” or “someone supreme in authority.” You may not be allowing Jesus to be the supreme authority in your life right now but someone or something else is your lord.
Someone or some thing calls the shots in your life.
For many, selfishness is their lord. Everything is done to suit one’s selfish desires. I can be my own lord. I can do everything in life to please me, to suit me. Problem is, some of the most miserable people, some of the unhappiest people, are selfish people.
A first cousin to “self-lordship” is “others-lordship,” arranging your life to please another human being, perhaps someone whose approval you desire or affection you seek. It may even be an entire group of people you seek to please so that you can win their applause or admiration.
Many famous people are slaves to the master of the approval of others, but they’re not the only victims. Even sincere Christ followers can fall prey to this scam. It’s easy to be exploited by other human beings when you lose Jesus as your primary focus.
If you primarily live to please an employer, a preacher, or a peer, you have missed one of the essential ingredients of happiness. You must live to please Jesus as your master if you want to experience the purpose for which you were created and therefore experience the kind of life by which your soul is satisfied. Your happiness is intricately tied to who rules you. Who’s your master?
Others are slaves to pleasure or material things. Their entire life is spent searching for the latest high or owning some new thing. Pleasure and materialism become their master; their lord.
The reason Paul said, “All I want is Christ” is because he knew at the end of the day, Jesus as his master, was all he needed in order to be happy.
We shoot ourselves in the foot when we conclude that we aren’t about to let Jesus be in charge of our lives. We think to ourselves, “Why that’s just religious fanaticism! And it’s boring. It’s no fun. It’s outdated.” No it’s not. It’s not any of those things. It’s the road to happiness!
Jesus is much better equipped to be the boss of your life than you or anyone else. He created you and He died for your sins on Skull Hill. He loves you unconditionally and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the well being of your soul – your soul is the part way down deep inside of you that no one else sees. You can trust Him with the happiness of your soul because He said…
"Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NCV)
We make our lives more difficult when we don’t rely on Christ as Lord and follow His teachings. He’s a perfect Lord. You can trust Him with your happiness.
He’s a better lord than any of us will ever be.
The second reason I need God to be happy is that…
2. JESUS IS A BETTER SAVIOR THAN I AM.
Even the angelic birth announcement of Jesus mentions the happiness the Good News about Jesus brings.
10But the angel said, "Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 (CEV)
Circle that word “happy.” These two Bible verses not only reiterate the fact that Jesus needs to be Lord in my life if I want to be happy, but it also points out the fact that Jesus became human for the explicit purpose of being my Savior.
Why do I need Christ as my Savior? Because I can’t save myself! I can destroy myself, I can do a pretty good job of messing up my life on my own, but I can’t save myself.
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it. What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? What would you give to get back your soul?" Matthew 16:24-26 (CEV)
Do you know what prompted Jesus to make these remarks? Simon Peter scolded Jesus for announcing His impending cruel treatment and crucifixion at Jerusalem. Jesus told Simon Peter that this way of thinking was misguided and the way the devil thinks, so He told Satan to get behind him and then made these comments.
Simon Peter was thinking like we often think. “If I’m going to be happy, I’d better save myself. I’d better make sure that life is all about me and what I want and I’d better put myself at the head of the line.”
Jesus said that isn’t so. Placing your own selfish desires first is not where long and lasting happiness come from.
“We are more happy when we give than when we receive.” Jesus - Acts 20:35 (NLV)
You say, “How can I get this happiness? How can I let God save me?” It comes from loving and having faith in Jesus.
"You have never seen Jesus, and you don’t see him now. But still you love him and have faith in him, and no words can tell how glad and happy you are to be saved. That’s why you have faith." 1 Peter 1:8-9 (CEV)
