The Pursuit of Happiness

Everyone wants a happy life. No one wants sadness. To be a Christian and remain unhappy for most of your life is tragic. The Lord Jesus, several times, stated that His desire is for our joy to be made complete in Him. And happiness finds steadiness in joy.

Scriptures talk about the blessed life, the happy life. Happiness is available to us. We have the choice to pursue and live it. It is a way of life—a life that is lived in a right relationship with God. And if you live it life this way, you’ll find lasting joy in Christ.

Psalm 1 straightforwardly and simply lays the right path in pursuit of happiness. Let’s look and see all the practical insights the psalmist provides us with regarding being happy in life.

Don’t Overvalue the Advice of the Ungodly

The child of God should not let the world’s voice hold stronger ground than God’s voice. This is a pitfall that many believers fall into today. So many look to “professionals” and celebrities for advice, therapy, financial planning, goal-setting, and more.

Now, many of them can give sound and sensible advice and guidance. But we must be careful not to let their words fill our mind and heart so much that there is little to nothing left of God’s Words. Don’t listen to others, particularly those who are not of the faith, more than you listen to God.

There is great danger in letting the world’s voice hold more value than God’s. One can start measuring themselves against the world’s standard of happiness and success. You can begin to adopt the world’s morality and spirituality and reject biblical principles for right and fruitful living. You can be misled into lifelong pursuits that waste your time and energy.

Remember what Colossians 3:2 says: We are to set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

In saying these, bear in mind that the verse specifically identifies the “ungodly” as people we should not seek counsel from. And it is referring to evil and wicked people. Clearly, we have no business listening to the garbage they are putting out—unless they are sharing insight on their evil life and making themselves an example for you not to copy. Anything else they promote or advise should be refused and discarded. Their bent values and corrupted thoughts will not contribute anything healthy or spiritual to your life.

Don’t Walk the Path of Wrongdoers

To stand in the pathway of sinners is to be on the road they tread and to be in places they would normally frequent. This means placing yourself in their environment, which positions you to do what they are doing and pursue what they are pursuing.

While it may be cool to rub shoulders with interesting people who are not of the faith, we should be careful not to immerse ourselves in their world, particularly those who are okay with wrongdoing. Once we expose ourselves to their environment, it’s so easy to pick up their habits, behaviour, perspectives, and ideologies.

We will be in danger of becoming desensitized to sin and more accepting of wrong practices. Later on, we will start approving such things or even start practicing them in our lives. We can begin rationalizing the sin we do and have our hearts seared with a hot iron so that we no longer hear the Spirit’s rebuke and call to repentance.

Don’t keep company with haters.

It’s so easy to hate on people, things, and circumstances. When you’re around haters, even as a Christian, you can become influenced by their way of thinking and by their view of life. People who are into mocking, contempt, and just negativity are unhappy people. They see less of the blessings and more of the problems. They focus more on the negatives and less on the positives. They are quick to rebuke, complain, and judge. They appreciate less, they forgive less, they praise less.

God is love, the very opposite of hate. Love and hate, generally can’t co-exist, unless it’s a hatred for sin, lies, and wrongdoing. Anything that doesn’t have to do with those three should not occupy our hearts and minds. Happiness will thrive where there is positivity and good vibes.

Find Pleasure in Obeying God’s Words

Verse 2 is not talking about obeying; it’s focusing on how we obey. It notices that those who find pleasure in obedience are happy people—because this means there is trust: trust in the One you are obeying, trust in the words that were stated, and trust in the process.

Today, the world is doing everything it can to discredit, disprove, and cast doubts on God and His Word. More than ever, we need to stay connected to God and keep learning from Him, because it’s so easy to go astray and start doubting who He is, what He says, and what He’s doing in our lives.

Build a life of obedience and an attitude that finds joy in obedience, because you know that the One you are submitting to is supreme, all-knowing, all-wise, and all-loving. He loves you with agape love. He has proven it on the cross. Daily He proves it even more. And there is not one reason for us to doubt His capacity, character, or motives.

Meditate on God’s Word Day and Night

That sounds very time-consuming, doesn’t it? But when something is part of your life, it is naturally time-consuming. It fills you, moves you. It’s in your thoughts and reflects in your words and actions.

“Meditate” carries the meaning of ponder and murmur. And that’s what we naturally do when we listen to someone talk and when we realize what they say makes sense or piques our interest. We don’t dismiss it; we think about it, we accept it, we judge it and maybe reject it. We take time to consider what was said. We rehearse it and retell it to ourselves.

And this is how we should be processing God’s Word—His instruction and direction—in our life. We are to dwell on it and process it until it shapes our instincts and decisions.

Scriptures are there to lead us and cause prosperity in our lives. A prosperous life may be material, but it can be in other forms. And a prosperous life is what God desires for us. He wants us to have an abundant life. Jesus says in John 10:10b, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." God doesn’t want us to merely exist and breathe in this world. He desires us to enjoy this life and experience the most out of it.

And whether we believe it or not, no Christian will enjoy full happiness, joy, and abundance when they don’t meditate on God’s Word. In it is everything He wants us to be mindful and aware of: the right priorities, right attitudes, right perspectives… these are all there. The knowledge and wisdom and direction we need to live right and godly lives in this world is laid out on the pages of the Bible.

2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a life of godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." Knowledge of Him comes from a personal relationship with Him by grace through faith. Understanding our sinful state and helplessness, knowing our need for a Saviour, and accepting and trusting only in His finished work on the cross on our behalf brings us to the beginning of that knowledge—and continuing in His Word keeps us growing and abiding in that knowledge, understanding, and experience of Him.

The Picture of Happiness

The psalmist illustrates the happy or the blessed life very vividly. It’s like what happens to a tree planted by flowing streams. It is a nourished life, a hydrated life. You won’t face dryness or drought. Your primary and most important needs are always met. And it’s not only an inward benefit—you will be fruitful. Others will get a taste of your life. At the proper time, you will see results as a testimony to the rightness and health of your life.

Leaves never falling off pictures for us that the blessed, happy life is sustainable and sustained by God. You won’t need to go into conservation mode to preserve lost nutrients as trees do when they shed leaves. Pests won’t attack and make you shed off those ‘leave’s because you will be protected and kept healthy. And because you are guided and guarded, you will find success in all your endeavours. Even in seeming failures, you will sense and determine the wins.

“Like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.”

The Promise of Protection

The Lord guards the way of the godly.

If that doesn’t make you happy, what else would? You have the Creator of the whole universe guarding your way. He knows the ins and outs of the world we see and don’t see. He sees the future as clearly as the past and the present. All-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present—nothing will slip past our God, our Father.

Live it Out

Choose your influences. We are always being influenced, so be careful what you allow to influence you. Filter media, friendships, and counsel.

Consume Scripture. We are instinctive consumers, so be careful what you consume. Make time intentionally to read and reflect on God and His Word. Grow deep roots. Anchoring your life in the Word transforms character, stabilizes purpose, and leads to eternal flourishing under God’s watchful care.

Connect with community. We are not meant for isolation. Spend time with others of the faith. Communicating and fellowshipping with like-minded people grows your perspective and strengthens the right beliefs you already hold and live up to.

Concentrate on the essentials and the important. You can expend your time, energy, and resources on many things. But as a wise and seasoned Christian who doesn’t want to waste himself, you must learn to identify and focus your heart and mind on what will truly matter and add value to your life  for the long run. Let go of distractions, energy zappers, time and mind-wasters, that steal your focus and peace. Prioritize what leads to lasting joy, not temporary satisfaction.

Reflect:

What is influencing you and shaping your thinking?

How do you feel about obedience to God and His Word?

How immersed are you in God’s Word?

What fruit is visible in your life?

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For more reading:

What Does It Take to Be Fulfilled?