Celebrate and Dance Like David

Have you ever lamented, "If only I could have this one thing, I would be happy”? Countless commercials play on this illusion by promising joy and happiness. Christians are duped into believing these claims, even while knowing that happiness and real joy are not found in things but in believing God’s love abounds in us.

We all have known those people who appear to have unlimited and abounding joy regardless of their circumstances – circumstances that could easily plunge others into despair. So what's their secret? These people look at each day as a reason to celebrate because it's a gift from God. Joy is replenished as it is shared with others.

 

David was known as a man after God's own heart. He was far from perfect and failed to live up to God’s expectations but would sincerely repent of his sins and return to a life that honored God. When you do your best to live according to God’s expectations, your joy will continually be renewed, and that’s reason to celebrate. 

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Shout with joy before the Lord, O earth! Obey him gladly; come before him, singing with joy.

~Psalm 100:1-2 The Living Bible

Join Hands and Celebrate God's Good Gifts

Throughout history mankind has devised ways to celebrate life. Douglas Jerrold, the British playwright, humorously said of the English people, “If an earthquake were to swallow up our property tomorrow, my people would meet and dine somewhere in the rubbish to celebrate the event.” God is especially honored when we celebrate his intervention in our lives.

When I was in the military, I attended a church whose mission was to provide a home for young men and women serving their country. At the close of our Bible study, we would join hands and celebrate by singing, “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.”

Jesus in Matthew 5:12 commands us to “rejoice and be glad” even in difficult, hard times. You can do this seemingly impossible task by staying focused on the Lord God, who gives more than life itself. “For my God shall supply your every need according to the riches of his glory by Christ Jesus.”  

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Tell the heavens and the earth to celebrate and sing;

command every mountain to join in the song.

The Lord’s people have suffered,

but he has shown mercy and given them comfort.

~Isaiah 49:13 Contemporary English Version

Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.

~Romans 12:12 Good News Bible

Whistle a Happy Tune – of Thanks

Happiness and worry are incompatible. Worry has the tendency to create and perpetuate a negative attitude about life’s possibilities, crowding out thoughts of happiness and thanksgiving necessary for celebrating life. Worry is also aligned with fear that implies a portion of your life is out of control.

Worry is indicative of diminished faith and lack of confidence in God’s ability to solve your problems. Jesus countered this lack of faith with these words. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not plant or harvest, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they? Can worry add a single hour to your life?”

Jesus wants you to accept his care for you, so there is no reason to obsessively worry. Nothing is impossible for him. Go outside and listen to the birds singing. Is this their way of  being thankful and celebrating reflectively of God’s provision? Right now envision the Lord caring for you just as he cares for the birds. 

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Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer.

~Psalm 94:19 The Living Bible

Worn Down by Worry?

A little anxiety is not unhealthy when it serves as a deterrent to neglecting responsibilities or opportunities. Anxiety about losing your job serves as motivation to show up on time, ready to work. Some chronic worriers, however, become so fixated on the negatives of life that thanksgiving and happiness are beyond experiencing.

Jesus said, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or what you will wear. Life is more important than food and clothes.” Jesus spoke these words to help people refocus on what ultimately matters. Worry stifles trust in God while immobilizing the brain’s ability to consider and apply alternative solutions to problems.

Too much worry damages your health by creating headaches, high blood pressure, ulcers and other problems. In place of worry and anxiety, Jesus will give you peace of mind and the desire to express thanksgiving and happiness. He invites you to place all of your worries on him for he knows what distresses you. Do this now.  

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Give your burdens to the Lord. He will carry them. He will not permit the godly to slip or fall.

~Psalm 55:22 The Living Bible

Give God Your Worries – and Your Gratitude

Happiness and thanksgiving are adversely affected by anxiety and worry. Researchers have noted that excessive levels of anxiety and worry negatively impact our physical and mental health. Before the Industrial Revolution and the production of safe food and modern medicine, a major worry was staying alive one day at a time.

The make-up of personal worries varies, but even minor concerns can diminish happiness and the willingness to be thankful. For instance, our drinking water is as safe as any nation’s, yet one of the best-selling products in stores is filtered bottled water. It feels safer drinking water from a bottle than from a faucet.

When worry prompts you to change what is unhealthy, destructive or bad, then worry is appropriate; however, when it robs you of peace of mind and the inability to be thankful, including feelings of joy, then reassessing your faith in God is in order. Strong, godly faith diminishes worry and restores your trust that God will give you peace and joy.  

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Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.

~Colossians 3:15 Contemporary English Version

Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.

~1 Peter 5:7 The Living Bible

God's Blessings – Joy Unspeakable!

In the church I attended as a child, the congregation was fond of singing the hymn, Count Your Blessings. The chorus concludes with "Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." Counting blessings is an effective way of expressing thanksgiving, which contributes to happiness and peace.

Irving Berlin knew it was impossible to experience continuous good times, yet he composed numerous songs expressing his gratitude for the blessings of living in America. When you’re willing to count your blessings, it’s apparent that God's gifts outshine the glitter of all other possessions.

Abraham Lincoln told a man in a large group of former slaves of Virginia who had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation: "Don't kneel to me. That is not right. You must kneel to God only and thank Him for the liberty you will henceforth enjoy." God's greatest gift is Jesus Christ, who gives us freedom from sin. This liberty gives us joy unspeakable! For that we can be sincerely thankful. 

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Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.  

~Ephesians 1:3, 6-7 Good News Bible

Thankful Through It All

Happiness should always be surrounded by an attitude of thanksgiving. Good things happen and I am blessed. So is thanksgiving dependent only on good, positive experiences? If thanksgiving is totally dependent on the absence of negative or bad attitudes, then my gratitude will evaporate if anything troublesome happens. 

However, God makes it possible to be thankful in every situation. It’s important to remember we have a powerful, loving, approachable Lord who longs to comfort and assure us at all times. While the pain of loss can conceal our happiness, a Christian’s joy is based on God’s enduring love. 

William Blake, the English poet, gave us this assurance:

To Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love,

All pray in their distress:

And to these virtues of delight

Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,

Is God, our Father dear.

Blake continues: "For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; and Love, the human form divine" portrayed in the person of Christ Jesus. So we thank God for all he has done.

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Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope, and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people.

~1 Peter 1:3-4 Good News Bible

Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good;

His love and his kindness go on forever.

~1 Chronicles 16:34 The Living Bible

Giving Thanks Gives Joy

Your personal happiness is definitely affected by what is perceived as being capable of stealing away your confidence. Rarely does a day go by without challenges to your peace and joy, but thank God, these challenges can be sidestepped. Your happiness and the capacity for thanksgiving are distinctly bound up together.

C. S. Lewis explains, "It’s possible to give thanks in everything: if it’s good, simply because it’s good; if it’s bad, because it works in us to produce patience, humility and hope." Giving thanks for what is good is easy, but the real challenge comes in trying to utter words of thanksgiving for unpleasant and painful experiences.

Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words of encouragement for facing difficult times. "Be joyful always; pray continually; and give thanks in all situations, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." A sense of joy can parallel difficult times as you rest assured that God’s intention is for good to spring forth in all you experience.  

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We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. And with joy give thanks for the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light.

~Colossians 1:9, 11-12 Good News Bible

Awaken! Arise!

It would be absurd to deliberately lose touch with God, who designed you for his unique and special purpose. Yet the cares of life and other distractions become barriers for staying in touch with your true self, your family, friends and Christ Jesus. You can build a wall that blocks communion with the Lord God.

German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche was credited with creating pandemonium with his proposal that God was dead. As he observed the church at worship, he concluded there was no passion, enthusiasm or joy accompanying attempts to worship God. Nietzsche saw no evidence of God's power in the lives of those who dutifully read their prayers and sang  hymns, so he deduced that God was dead in their lives.

God calls us to awaken from our spiritual slumber and return to him, the source of lasting joy and peace. Communion with God requires your determination to recapture a vision of how much God loves you and desires for you to be in fellowship with Him. 

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…God says in the Scriptures, “Awake, O sleeper, and rise up from the dead; and Christ shall give you light.” So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don’t be fools; be wise: make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to.

~Ephesians 5:14-17 The Living Bible

Happiness: A New System for Living

What would you say has contributed to the happiness you’ve experienced so far in your life? Focus on just one thing that has made you feel happy and safe. Would that one thing that’s provided happiness include peace with God, or a warm, trusting friendship that’s endured over time?

Does happiness derive from viewing life as God's gift to you, especially when it means caring about the well-being of others? Believing your life benefits God and his Kingdom here on the earth creates purpose and optimism for surviving the troubles of everyday life. Contented people tend to seize opportunities for joy and fulfillment.

Yet we need opportunities for growth and change that fit within a strong system of values and faith. God sent Jesus into the world to create a new system of thinking and believing that was so powerful it would radically change the world. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  His way is the way of purpose and security. 

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God blesses those who obey him; happy the man who puts his trust in the Lord.

~Proverbs 16:20 The Living Bible

God’s Kingdom isn’t about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people.

~Romans 14:17-18 Contemporary English Version

Is Happiness Sustainable?

Would it be safe to say that everyone, with few exceptions, wants to be happy? Yet happy people tend to find it difficult to maintain a constant, happy disposition. Some think happiness exists only where anxiety and worry are nonexistent. Others, however, equate happiness with perfect peace, even in the presence of conflict and turmoil.

With maturity we see that happiness can co-exist with responsibility and obligations. Happiness doesn’t have to be extinguished by the existence of disappointment and conflict. Happiness is sustainable by knowing those I love are safe and productive and that the boundaries I’ve set for my life are reliable and secure.

Centering your life in a loving relationship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ gives you a greater capacity for tolerating life’s uncertainties. Listen to Isaiah 26:3: "You, Lord, will give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you." This confidence is available to you as you seek God's way to happiness.  

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Jesus: “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

~John 15:10-11 New Living Translation

You love him [Christ], even though you have never seen him; though not seeing him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with the inexpressible joy that comes from heaven itself. And your further reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

~1 Peter 1:8-9 The Living Bible

Mercy - Freely Give, Freely Receive

It's normal to long for happiness, especially when it appears fleeting. Sadly we've come to believe that happiness can be bought like furniture or an education. George Bernard Shaw wrote, "We have no more right to devour happiness without creating it for others than we do to consume wealth without working for it."

Philosophers have a proclivity for giving each generation a badge of distinction. Some carry a stigma of being self-absorbed and incapable of producing happiness for anyone. How then is happiness created? God’s word suggests happiness comes by demonstrating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Jesus gave this prescription for happiness: "Blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy."  The Old Testament prophet Micah asked  a pertinent question that relates to happiness. “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly and to love mercy, and walk humbly before the Lord your God?” Good prescription. Why not make it your commitment? 

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Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them!

~Matthew 5:7 Good News Bible

In every way I showed you that by working hard as I do, we should help the weak and remember what our Lord Jesus said: “We are happier when we give than when we get something.”

~Acts 20:35 Beck – New Testament in the Language of Today

Finding Contentment

Happy people generally view life as fulfilling, purposeful and pleasant. This doesn't mean that unhappy moments never alter their mood, but they seldom stay in a negative mindset because they have a Christ-centered means for regaining a contented disposition.

One of my professors would remind us, "You can act yourself into a new way of feeling, but you cannot feel yourself into a new way of acting." In other words you can’t wait until you feel like it to take action to change your disposition. It may never happen. Research has discovered if you act as if you have an attitude of contentment, your disposition eventually will change.

Change is often needed in various areas of life. Our emotional disposition will either support or overrule needed change. Happy, contented people, however, tend to experience joy and satisfaction as they acknowledge God's presence in the affairs and usual events of everyday life. I challenge you to look for his handiwork in every area of your life.  

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My friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable. Put into practice what you learned and received from me, both from my words and from my actions. And the God who gives us peace will be with you.

~Philippians 4:8-9 Good News Bible

Persistent Unhappiness? Time for a Change

Occasionally we meet someone who appears happy regardless of their situation. Then there are those individuals who are unhappy even in the best of circumstances. Research discovered that it's not the exhilarating experiences that create a happy disposition, but it’s frequent pleasant experiences that constitute happiness.

 

While it's impossible to rule out negative experiences, some people believe they’ll never face a crisis that could threaten their relationships. Even in the happiest marriages, discontent will come, but it doesn't mean the marriage is in trouble. Happiness depends on the capacity to change and mature in harmony with circumstances.

When unhappiness persists, you may feel rejected and discouraged. If this is your situation, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself what change is needed that's been difficult to achieve in the past. It may be time to redirect your life to Christ Jesus and commit all you are and can be to him. The Lord God said, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." 

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He (God) gives life, breath and everything else to all people…God has done all this so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn’t far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. We are his children.

~Acts 17:25, 27-28 Contemporary English Version