God Wants Us To Be Happy

 

During World War II, Germany devised a plan to force the British fighter squadrons to be spread thin in “standing patrols,” which would require planes to be in the air flying at all times ready for battle. This process would have caused the hard-pressed British to waste precious high-octane fuel. But the Brits had a secret that could monitor every move of the German bombers. Even when flying at night or emerging from cloud banks, hoping to invoke an act of surprise, German pilots were stunned to discover British attack aircraft waiting in position to engage them in battle. What the Luftwaffe had not realized was that their evil actions were being watched by an invisible and undetected force made possible by a top-secret invention, the cavity magnetron, now known as radar. Even though the German pilots thought they were operating in secret, their every aerial move was made visible by an unseen force.

Today, many people remain comfortable in sin thinking that their actions are cloaked in secrecy. But the Bible teaches that God’s revealing light shines into the far reaches of one’s actions, illuminating both that which is good and that which is evil. Hebrews 4:13 reads: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.” No matter in what situation one might find oneself, we are always under the unseen but watchful eye of God. On the other hand, the judgment of God need not be feared by one who is in Christ (Romans 8:1). He is not “out to get us.” He is “out to save us!”

[Revelation 22:14] God wants us to be happy. He wants us to be happier than happy. Our God wants us to live a blessed life. Jesus spoke of true happiness (blessedness) as a reality for those who would follow Him faithfully (Matthew 5:3-12; Revelation 1:3; 22:7). However, some use the title of this piece as an attempt to justify sin that they think will bring them pleasure in mind and body or escape from pain. They neglect the fact that God wants us to be happy, but He does not condone sinning in an effort to secure happiness our way! God wants us to be happy, but He does not want us to divorce our spouse for someone else whom we think will make us happy (Matthew 19:3-9). God wants us to be happy, but He does not want us to abandon the purity of His New Testament truth or forsake His church to experience some form of pleasurable feelings (2 Timothy 4:2-4; Luke 11:28). God wants us to be happy, but He does not want us to destroy our body and our influence for Him through addictions and abusive habits (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). I could present a lot more about how people use the desire for immediate pleasure or “happiness” as an excuse for sinning, telling themselves and others that “God wants me to be happy,” but maybe these will suffice to get the point across. The pleasure of sin (Hebrews 11:24-26) must never be confused with the happiness of God, even when it is wrapped in religious and social approval. Be happy God’s way, or grimace in the wiles of the evil one.

As children, we thought that there wasn’t anything we couldn’t achieve. And we believed we could become anything. But then we grew older. Life began to beat us down. Victories were fewer than defeats. Health began to wane. And most people begin to ask, “Isn’t there any­thing better to life than this?” The answer is yes. The best is yet to come if we walk with God! “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard or perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9). He has prepared a place for us without pain, without suffering, without want. There will be only love, ac­ceptance, honor and joy. Bliss awaits.