“THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: BY WHOM ALSO WE HAVE ACCESS BY FAITH INTO THIS GRACE WHEREIN WE STAND, AND REJOICE IN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

AND NOT ONLY SO, BUT WE GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS ALSO: KNOWING THAT TRIBULATION WORKETH PATIENCE; AND PATIENCE, EXPERIENCE; AND EXPERIENCE, HOPE: AND HOPE MAKETH NOT ASHAMED; BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD IS SHED ABROAD IN OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY GHOST WHICH IS GIVEN UNTO US.”
– ROMANS 5:1-5

No one is happy 100% of the time… or maybe I am just speaking for myself??  Are you in denial or am I wrong?

Because I can admit to you that I am not happy 100% of the time.

When a mother  walks into the kitchen that she just cleaned and sees that it has been taken over by her children I’m pretty sure her first emotion isn’t happiness.

…and she’s probably not elated when she cooks dinner only for her children to not eat it, but want fruit snacks instead.

Life happens.  But, that does not mean you have to live crippled in anxiety.

My own struggle is obviously brought on myself as I’m focusing on where my life isn’t yet.  That’s pretty much the perfect definition of stress and insanity.  It’s looking ahead at the life I want instead of what God has currently provided.

I have to let that go.  Do you know why?  I need to learn to be content knowing “the next step” will not make me happy as there will always be a next.

A person can’t make you happy.
Possessions can’t make you happy.
Money can’t make you happy.
Being a certain size can’t make you happy.
Hobbies can’t make you happy.
Traveling can’t make you happy.
Staying busy can’t make you happy.  Staying busy distracts you from your problems, but it does not get rid of them.

We are all looking to be happy.  The media and society tells us to search for our inner happiness.  I did that before and that’s how I found Jesus because all I found when I searched the inside was dead.

“CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD; AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME.”
-PSALM 51:10

False teachers and churches teach that Jesus wants us to be rich and happy and live abundantly.  What they’re really saying is to live for yourself.  You are your own god.  They are teaching idolatry.  They are teaching to chase after your lusts.  I don’t know what bible verse speaks of searching for happiness, but I do recall…

“AND YE SHALL SEEK ME, AND FIND ME, WHEN YE SHALL SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.” – JEREMIAH 29:13

“BUT WHOSOEVER DRINKETH OF THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM SHALL NEVER THIRST; BUT THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM SHALL BE IN HIM A WELL OF WATER SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING LIFE.” – JOHN 4:14

“JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.” – JOHN 14:6

Christians are called to be holy and righteous…not happy, but in return of living righteously you are indeed joyous and happy…

Falsely teaching to do what makes you happy or do what feels good can lead to sin.    You’re living for yourself and the lusts of the flesh.  Living righteously brings an everlasting joy that cannot be taken away whereas happiness is a fleeting moment that’s a never ending chase.

“NOW NO CHASTENING FOR THE PRESENT SEEMETH TO BE JOYOUS, BUT GRIEVOUS: NEVERTHELESS AFTERWARD IT YIELDETH THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO THEM WHICH ARE EXERCISED THEREBY.” – HEBREWS 12:11

I need to learn to be content where God has me right now reminding me of a quote I like, “Bloom where you are planted”.  Life is filled with choices, but even though we get to choose God has guided me to where my life is right now.  I am here for a reason learning what I need to be learning.  He knew I would choose Him.  He knew who I would be surrounded with and who would be cut from my life.

He knew the trials I would face and where my heart would be during them.  He knew I would choose Him over what I so desperately wanted for myself.  He knew that I could choose the world, but every day choose to deny myself and follow Him.  Every day is a choice of putting aside the life I want for myself and trusting that the life He has for me is better.  Temporary happiness cannot exceed His eternal joy.  Will what He brings be my heart’s desires?  I don’t know, but I have Him and what could be better?  He is my desire and I want what He wants for me.  Everything else pales in comparison.

He knew I experienced the real Him and would automatically recognize a counterfeit.  He knew that I experienced His peace and would quickly spot anything that pretended to be and tried to separate me from Him.

“NAY, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US. FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.”
-ROMANS 8:37-39

He knew that while I may still struggle with not having what my heart desires yet that it would draw me to Him and deepen my relationship with Him.  He knew.  He let it all happen.

“AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.” – ROMANS 8:28

He loves me.

How I picture my relationship with Jesus is an endless open meadow with tall grass and wild flowers.  The sky is a light blue and it is the clearest sky you ever did see with the sun shining bright.  I am running with arms wide open to my Father.  There is joy.  There is nothing to fear.  There is only freedom.  I can be myself.  He is saying, “Come to Me.  Let Me show you.  Let Me teach you.  It’s Me and you.”

I can romanticize all the things I think I want and the life I don’t have yet, but the truth is I don’t know the future.  I don’t know what will actually happen in the life I created in my mind of what my future looks like.  Nothing has gone according to plan so far, so it only is insane for me to think I have an idea of what reality will look like.  All I know is Who will be there.

Life is filled with ups and downs.  We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but that is what the desert and waiting seasons are for.. to build your faith on solid ground.

What better place is there to be taught than the secret place?  Your heart is being kept my the best Keeper there is and being prepared.  It is there you are building the ultimate relationship because that’s what it is with God: a relationship of trust and commitment.  Obviously, it is God so we have to choose Him.  He already called and knows who His sheep are.  It is our choice to decide to be with Him.  He already knows.  He knocks, but not everyone answers.

How do you develop trust and commitment with God?  By spending time with Him in His word that He provided.  He tells us plainly His promises and plan for us.  Like any relationship we have to take time out to spend with Him.  He won’t chase us.  He knows our hearts and if it’s genuine or not.  He is God and knows if we are trying to manipulate Him.  (Hint: He cannot be manipulated.)

In the marriage vows it states “In rich or poorer.  In sickness and in health…”.  True love is sticking by someone’s side in good times and in bad.  So, why is it so hard to trust the Creator of marriage and the definition of true love?  It’s easy to run when things get hard.  Some people go into marriage naive and really not ready for the commitment so when things get tough they get divorced.  Some people’s relationships only get stronger. Why would be bail on God in those circumstances?

We want an easy get out of jail free card, but that’s not how life works.  God did not promise this life would be easy, but He did promise He would be there.  In return we gain the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22-23).

People have head knowledge of Christ, but do you truly know Him?  Would you stick by Him when things got hard?  Would you stay when you weren’t happy all the time?  Do you know what He says about different situations and the promises in them?  When trials come up…and they will…who or what will you turn to?

People who do not know or understand the real Jesus cannot understand a relationship with Him.  They understand religion and the duties associated, but that is not a relationship.  Obedience is greater than sacrifice.  There is nothing we can do to earn His grace or salvation.  They try to fix problems from a carnal perspective as if the individual themselves hadn’t thought of it.