Happiness and Holiness
Who doesn’t want to be happy?
All kinds of things make people happy: listening to little babies laugh, watching your favorite sports team win, eating desired foods, getting a big return on taxes, achieving a career promotion, etc.
Even old, grumpy men are happy being grumpy.
Happiness is related to contentment. The Bible speaks to related areas of happiness, such as joy and contentment. Society places an extreme emphasis on being happy, but society doesn’t speak at all on holiness.
I Peter 1:16 NIV says, “15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.'”
There is nothing wrong with being happy, but what if doing something wrong makes you happy?
Engaging in sinful behavior may make you happy, but it avoids, disrespects and resents a life of holiness, which separates us from things God approves. Happiness equates to having fun. What about those who think being cruel to animals is fun? What about those who think telling racist jokes is fun? What about criminals who think pushing drugs to kids, stealing from others or sexually harassing someone is fun?
Certainly, they lack morals and undoubtedly are devoid of holiness. Engaging in an extramarital affair may be fun and bring some measure of happiness, but it violates the sanctity of marriage and brings untold damage to the victimized partner. Plus, it creates a separation from the world God expects.
The number one misconception about holiness is that it is like watching grass grow or paint dry: boring. The second misconception is that happiness and holiness are mutually exclusive and in competition with one another. What holiness really reveals is a person’s commitment to God, and a mistaken notion is that you can’t have fun if you’re living for God.
Last time I checked most people who are really living for God are not addicted to drugs and consequently ruining their bodies and lives due to the fall out of health issues and criminal records. (Such fun!) People having fun getting drunk, which typically lowers inhibitions, are committing acts that have lifelong regrets. (Such fun!) People having fun watching pornography and descending into addiction are becoming detached from otherwise healthy gender and relationship outlooks. (Such fun!)
Our hearts should go out to those who have made bad choices and are now entangled in downward life spirals. We should do what we can to help them out of their issue(s) so they can make better decisions moving forward.
I would like to point out how many people walking in holiness are happy because they have long lasting marriages, steady reputations, financial stability and regular lives uninterrupted by an erroneous pursuit of being happy.
Being holy before God is not a killjoy lifestyle. It simply means you don’t engage in behavior, attitudes and actions that contradict what God knows is best for us, because you will get betrayed and bitten by ungodly recreations and interests.
Living for God doesn’t mean you don’t get to enjoy life, be content, have fun and find happiness. It actually means avoiding the things that distance us from God and take away our happiness and joy. Our participation in sinful and unhealthy things brings dysfunction and hurt.
The trip back to wholeness can be very long.
Where is the happiness when you sacrifice your health, relationships and integrity? How much happier would we be if we did onto others what we want them to do to us, or love your neighbor as yourself? How much more joy and contentment would we find in our lives if we would love God with all our heart, mind and soul?
See Luke 10:27 any version. When you walk in holiness I guarantee you will not sacrifice happiness, they go hand in hand.
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