Does God Want Me Happy? Musings on a Message

Hello!  Yes, I fell in a hole and have just recently crawled out...

Last week at Real Life Church we started a two week series called, Does God Want Me Happy?  We kicked off the series looking at what generally makes us happy.  Think about the last time you were happy - why were you happy?  Was it because your family was together?  Did you get a good present for your birthday (btw, my wife hit it out of the park this year with an AppleTV for your's truly)?  Chances are that the last time you felt happy you were doing something you wanted to do.  You were with the people you like and wanted to be with.  And you were doing whatever it was with whomever it was when you wanted to be doing it.  Break that down.  You.  You.  You.  That's why the point of last weeks message was that happiness the way we quantify it is most often associated with selfishness.  

That's a sucker-punch to your happy face isn't it.

But unless we take an honest look at what makes us happy we can't honestly answer the question, does God WANT me happy.  And, by the way, selfishness is something that Jesus spoke against over and over.

So this week I thought I'd take a look at what makes God happy.  And I assumed that the best place to start was with Jesus.  If we knew what made Jesus happy then we could trust that those things that made Him happy would also make God happy.  And if we knew what made God happy we could be assured that when we did those types of things He would indeed WANT us happy.

But there is a problem.  Have you ever considered the passages of the Bible that express Jesus' happiness?  First, you won't find that word associated with Jesus.  Happy and Jesus just don't go together, right?  I mean, take a look at every picture hanging up in pretty much every church over 25 years old and you will immediately notice that Jesus always had His poker-face on.  It's like no matter what was going on in His life Jesus had permanently pursed lips.  Is it possible that for that entire three years He walked the earth teaching people what God was really like that He never laughed.  Never cracked a joke.  Never had a moment when He wasn't thinking about that cross and mentally checking off each day.

Is it possible that God doesn't want us happy?  If we subscribe to a Savior who was so intently focused on His sacrifice that He was never able to enjoy His life then how could we do any less than Jesus?  Christians who's desire is to be like Jesus must also avoid any levity.  Isn't that the logical conclusion?

No matter what we're told in the Bible, since we're told in many places to rejoice, be filled with joy and to be happy (Ecclesiastes 7:14 When times are good: be happy...), if Jesus were somber and we're supposed to be like Him then we must also assume a flat affect - unless we are clearing a temple.

Most Christians believe that Jesus wept, was saddened and was always faced with a vivid picture of His own impending suffering.

But, even though the Bible doesn't spell it out, I think Jesus laughed.  But I don't think He laughed AT anyone (which takes about 75% of my laughter) and I don't think He laughed when one of his friends slipped and fell - no matter how ridiculous they looked.  I don't think He joked about misfortune or even when someone got what was coming to them.  I think He laughed in the presence of children.  I think he laughed when Peter and his friends pulled that massive catch up fish up and He watched them frantically scream and holler for help to bring in the load that probably represented an entire years catch in one haul.  I think he laughed a few of the times He was saying, "O you of little faith..." He would have had to!  He had just done something incredibly miraculous in the face of His doubting disciples - He must have laughed because He knew all the crazy thoughts that were going through His disciples heads!

I think Jesus laughed when He spent time with His Father.  I think He may have even laughed as the disciples were heading out to the mount of Olives the night He was betrayed.  He looked over his shoulder and His gaze stopped young John Mark in his steps - wondering if Jesus would give him away and he'd be chased back to town.  Instead I think Jesus smiled and chuckled to himself knowing that in a short time John Mark would be hysterically running through the grove in his birthday suit praying none of his friends saw him!

Could we say that Jesus was happy?  I don't know.  I think He had moments of happiness.  But I do not believe that He chased happiness.  I think His happiness was found in the God of Heaven and doing His will.  I think Jesus was happy when God was happy and what makes God happy are simple things like when a gazelle gets the best of a crocodile.  Or when someone who was so vocal about there not being a God finally comes to the conclusion that He is real and exists and loves them.

Honestly, I want to picture Jesus as happy.  Not in spite of what He was to suffer but in tandem with it.  Not happiness at the expense of every other emotion, but happiness along with times of sadness and loss and pain.  It's those "negative" emotions that help us to more intensely experience those moments of happiness.

Holy Spirit, help me to be happy in the things that make God happy.  Help me not to find pleasure in the failures and misfortunes of others or laugh at other's expense (this is a big one for me!).  But to laugh and enjoy my life because of all that you've given me.  Great kids who love you and a beautiful wife who loves you and me incredibly... Teach me what true happiness is.