“I think God would want me to be happy” is a common response in today’s Church whenever we’re being spiritually corrected. But is that a fair statement? Does God want us to be happy? It would seem only right that God would want us to be happy and enjoy life to the fullest, but is that what God really wants for our lives? Is the Joy of the LORD the same as happiness? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the Truth in our video, Does God Want Me To Be Happy?
Does God Want Me To Be Happy?
How to Have Joy
Oftentimes, we fall into this trap because we have been told that God loves everyone and just wants us to have the best. That statement in itself is true, but the problem with that statement is that we base ‘love’ and ‘best’ on cultural standards instead of Biblical standards. According to Biblical standards, God’s desire for us is to have life and life more abundantly. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be a millionaire because that’s living life more abundantly, and let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with being a millionaire; that’s just not what God was promising.
Having life and life more abundantly had nothing to do with material things; instead, it was about living without the chains of sin, shame, anger, depression, anxiety, etc. God’s promise was FREEDOM. Freedom from the chains and strongholds of this world. And happiness is one of the biggest strongholds of this world. If we stop chasing happiness, then we can start chasing freedom. Then and only then will be filled with The Joy of The LORD. And the Joy of The LORD, that is our strength. God doesn’t want us happy, He wants us filled with His joy because happiness doesn’t lead to freedom.
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