God Never Said That: God Wants Me To Be Happy

There's nothing wrong with pursuing happiness IF our definitely of happiness is Biblically accurate.

God wants me to be happy

Isaiah 52:7 (ESV) – “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Psalm 97:12a (NLT) – “May all who are godly rejoice…”

Psalm 97:12a (NLT) – “May all who are godly be happy…”

The Problem With Happiness

Happy:
a state of well-being and contentment: joy
a pleasurable or satisfying experience

John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

God wants us to be happy, unless that happiness is caused by something we have done that is not right or is unwise.

God wants us to be happy, unless it is at the expense of others.

God wants us to be happy, unless happiness, resulting from worldly things, becomes our greatest pursuit.

God delights in our happiness, when our happiness derives from us delighting most in Him.

Joy = Living in the awareness of grace and favor.
Grace = That which affords joy.

Joy is Grace recognized and lived out without depending on what you feel in the moment.

John 15:9-11 – “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Isaiah 35:5-10 - “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling spring. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”