I Know I Heard That Somewhere… Pt. 1
Have you ever talked to a friend and heard them say something like, “I know this is in the Bible somewhere, I’m just not sure where.” Or, “I know that God is like this,” or, one that I have heard many times, “But God wants me to be happy!”
This is one of the most common misconceptions that people have about the Christian faith. Today, we will look at what God’s Word says about what God wants for us, why people think this is in the Bible and then how we can talk about this with someone.
Two verses come to mind when someone says that they know God wants us to be happy. The first verse is Proverbs 17:22 which says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Notice what is not said there. Solomon does not say, “A happy heart is from God and there will be no broken spirits.” Instead, he says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” The implied expectation is that we will face difficult times. The key is that we do not become people with broken spirits and remain joyful instead.
In John 16, Jesus addresses the believers just before his crucifixion. From John 16:16-24, Jesus specifically addresses sorrow and joy. Jesus does not tell the disciples, “This is about to happen so that you may be happy at all times.” Instead, Jesus says things like, “So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.” Look at what the Bible keeps emphasizing. It is not happiness, it is joy!
Joy and happiness are not the same. See, happiness requires that our feelings and our circumstances make us feel a specific way. Happiness is what happens when someone gives you a milkshake on a hot summer day! Joy on the other hand is deeper. Our circumstances do not dictate joy, but instead, joy is separate from these circumstances. Joy looks at a hard situation and says, “I will rejoice in this and give praise to God.”
So, why do people think that God wants them to be happy? The simplest explanation is that for far too long we have not been careful in the words that we use. Unfortunately, many people, pastors included, have shared the gospel as the “fix” that will give you happiness without being clear that joy is what the gospel brings! Because of that confusion, people can begin to think that happiness is what God wants. When they go through a difficult time, it must mean that God is not capable of fixing it, or that God hates them.
Now, how do we address it? The simplest answer is that we do it in love. We can lovingly explain to someone the difference between joy and happiness. We can patiently look at scripture together, starting in John 16 or in Proverbs 17 and we can see how God’s Word talks about joy and happiness. In our conversations about this, we should lovingly point people back to the cross, making sure that we are clear on what Jesus did. After all, Jesus did not die to give us happiness. Jesus died and rose again for our sins so that we can spend eternity in Heaven! Our joy comes from a correct understanding of what Jesus did, what that means for us, and how this gives us hope daily.
The next time that you have a conversation with someone and they say, “God wants me to be happy,” take a minute and in a loving way explain what God’s Word actually says!
Pastor Daniel