Have you enjoyed the holiday season? It is the dedicated season to have harmony with family and friends. It is a time to slow down and enjoy the emotions joy brings. One can feel peace and tranquility. A sense of calmness comes over you. The emotions of love and gladness appear. To the Christian, the life of Jesus, the son of God, can instill in the soul of every believer the greatest sense of joy. From the birth of Jesus till his resurrection and ascension, a believer has hope; a hope of joy, peace and happiness.
Many have sung, Joy to the world, the Lord is come! We recognize the type of lifestyle God hoped for and offers to all mankind. The emotions fill our souls with wonderful expectations of eternal life in Glory. Joy and gladness are what Jesus brought to earth. Therefore, we sing songs of gladness.
Positive and happy emotions are contagious. Try this sometime. When you are in a public place, even though you may feel down, look into the eyes of a passerby and SMILE. Do this to several people. Count how many smiles back. It won’t take long, it will get easier to do. Soon, even though you felt apprehensive at the start, you feel a great accomplishment come over you and your day is brighter than you could imagine. A sense of joy has risen.
Do you remember where these emotions come from? James tells us in James 1:17. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. God gave us the perfect gift, his son, by which our joy comes. This gift is entered into our spirits by God so we can recognize his love for us and recognize all good and perfect gifts are from him. Satan wants us to think we create our own happiness. Our happiness is a gift, a good and perfect gift from God.
To many people in the world, all these emotions of joy and happiness appear to be external material things and can only determine outcomes of joy by external circumstances.
Albert Ellis, a philosopher, believes it is irrational to suggest happiness is caused by external circumstances. It really depends upon our interpretations of events.
British philosophers, John Locke and Jeremy Bentham, say it is determined by a number of positive events experienced in life.
One believes our happiness comes from something other than interpretations of external forces and the other two believe it is a lifetime of experiences which determine our happiness. Righteous people know it is a gift from God.
What might bring you joy? Job? Money? Spouse? Children? Property? More of the above? How much more? Is there a limit? How much physical, material things will satisfy your spirit? Or, does your joy come from the hope of salvation with God?
The idea that more money can increase joy is a myth. This myth can be put to bed as studies show household incomes cause an increase in happiness as income rises. Happiness and incomes of greater values than $50,000/yr. have been proven to not increase happiness at an even rate. Therefore, more income does not create more happiness. Things such as money, beauty, youth, intelligence, and education matter less than self-esteem, social skills, free times, volunteering and humor in creating happiness in a person. Even though external circumstances and possession of material things might cause a small increase in happiness, long term results are not generated. Positive life events do not guarantee you will always be filled with joy. The greatest happiness comes from being social. We need to socialize. Why did God ordain and Jesus establish the church? Could it be to cause socialization among believers to comfort, edify and carry each other’s burdens?
Philosophers list three things that make a person happy;
Something to do
Something or someone to love
Something to look forward to
SOMETHING TO DO
Many say, “I want a better job where I do not have to do much physical work. I just want more money.” Have you ever said such a thing? Have you ever had a job like that?
That job becomes boring. Many who have jobs where they do little or no physical labor get depressed and the body becomes sluggish. Many retired people do not like retirement because they cannot find enough to do.
Having something to do does create a sense of joy to the beholder. Doing things with another expands the amount of joy one feels.
SOMETHING OR SOMEONE TO LOVE
God made mankind social beings. They need someone or something to care for and love. Family—spouse, children, grand-children; friends, neighbors you associate with, a church family, all bring satisfaction to the need to be of service and useful.
Being active in a Church family, Apostles John and Paul found joy in others’ love and faith. John writing to Gaius wrote: 3 John 1:5-6, 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: John praised him for his overwhelming joy in his activity for the brethren. Paul to Philemon wrote in Philemon 1: 4-7 4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Having the love of Christ in your work for others increases the gift of joy God gives unto the righteous.
Those who have the ability to teach and receive the Faith bring tidings of great joy. Acts 8:4-8. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. Joy comes from hearing that others have received truth and have accepted God’s truth—Gentiles. Acts 15:2-3 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO—THINGS WE STRIVE TO DO
True joy comes from HOPE in Christ & God. Believing in God allows God to share his blessings giving us all we need. Ps. 146:5-9 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: 6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: 7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners: 8 The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:
9 The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. True joy comes from wisdom and understanding in God. This wisdom and understanding brings peace and contentment. Prov. 3:13-18. 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
True joy comes from those who fear God always and keep His laws. Prov. 28:14; 14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. Prov. 29:18 18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
True joy comes to those who serve. John 13:12-17. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
KEY TO HAPPINESS? CONTENTMENT
Contentment is the key to creating within yourself the greatest sense of joy, the good gift from God. However, it requires work; it is a chore. Satan has made our culture that way making it harder for us to enjoy God’s precious gifts. 1 Tim. 6:6-11, 17-19. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Is your life filled with joy and happiness? Do you feel the same intensity of joy for your salvation now as before the holiday spirit rekindled about October? We are about to embark upon the time of year, this Wednesday, to be exact, when we attempt to reestablish our New Year’s Resolutions. Why do we do this? Has our JOY run out somewhere back last February or March? Did the current holiday season rejuvenate our emotion of joy? Most will say it has. Let us encourage each other to not let our joy depart and have to begin all over one year from now. Let us keep our focus upon the Lord and help turn the hearts of the lost to a life filled with the eternal joy that comes from The Lord. Let us find something to do, someone to love and something to strive for–increasing the Kingdom of God.
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. John 4:35. There are too many people who need our love and want the opportunity to feel joy, peace and happiness through their hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.
