I know a man who, when asked the question, “How are you
today?” simply states, “I am happy.”
The first time I heard him say it, I thought it was one of the coolest
things a person could say. To be able to
offer a sincere declaration that you are happy is to communicate a great deal
about your life in a three word sentence.
Unless…you really miss the meaning of happiness in life.
Merriam -Webster’s Online Dictionary gives broad
definition to the word “happy”.
Happy- adj, 1: favored by luck or fortune 2: notably fitting, effective, or well adapted : felicitous
3a : enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment (is the happiest person I know, or, a happy
childhood) b : expressing, reflecting, or suggestive of happiness (a happy ending) c : glad, pleased d : having or marked by an
atmosphere of good fellowship : friendly 4a : characterized by a dazed irresponsible state (a punch-happy boxer) b : impulsively or obsessively quick to use or do something (trigger-happy) c : enthusiastic about something to the point of obsession : obsessed
The word happy is broad in scope – so broad that it’s true
meaning is easily lost, or at best greatly reduced, because the
term “happy” can define a very small situation and be accurate in its communication. The problem is that when
you use the term “happy” to define situations, you can convince yourself that
happiness becomes situational. The next
logical step is to begin to live your life creating situation after situation
in the hope that they will all add up to happiness.
Most people do not experience true happiness. Instead, they
experience situational happiness. Situational
happiness is not “being happy”. You can experience happy moments with someone
who has no real regard for you or even shows great disdain for you. That moment does not create a happy life. Yet,
I have seen many try to create and recreate those moments, reaching for true
happiness. In retrospect, they realize
they have had great moments but cannot say, “I am happy.”
The word “happy” is used throughout scripture, translated
from both Greek and Hebrew texts. The Greek
word for happy is μακαρίζω (mä-kä-rē'-zō ) which means “to pronounce
blessed”. The Hebrew word for happy is
the word אֶשֶׁר
eh'·sher, which means again, “to be blessed”. However, this word comers from
the root word אָשַׁר
ä·shar', which meaning is much more specific. Ashar means to “go straight,
walk, advance, or to make progress. It
indicates that happiness from a biblical perspective is not situational, but
about advancement or progress in life.
In scriptural context, this happiness is about progress in relationships
with God and man.
Happy times are great.
You should have them. You should
foster them. But they are not what makes
you happy. Real happiness is found in
the strengthening and progress of the relationships you share with God and with
one another.
I spent a lot of my life trying to please people. I wanted to make them happy and I wanted to
be happy. I thought that if I could just
make them happy, my life would be a happy life.
The problem was that the only way to make them happy was to meet their
expectations. The greater problem was
that once those expectations were met, they tended to lead to another set of
expectations. There is not really a win because such expectations are usually
not about our success, but about the desires of others. You can spend a lot of time trying to feed
that monster and end up frustrated or even broken. I eventually found the place in my life where
I became determined not to “chase happiness” in this manner. It does not work. Not only does it prevent you from moving
forward, it usually sets you back.
Are you happy? Perhaps the way to answer that is to look at
the forward momentum in your life. It should
not be measured simply by accomplishment, though accomplishment plays a role. It’s
greater measure is found in relationship.
For it is through relationship that your purpose in God’s kingdom is
fulfilled. Luke 17:21 explains that
“…the Kingdom of God
is within us.”
If the kingdom resides in
the hearts of people then you cannot fulfill kingdom purpose
without building
right relationships.
Happiness on God’s terms is the blessing discovered in
walking your walk, making progress and advancing your life’s purpose in the
Kingdom. Look at your relationships.
Look at your thoughts and communication with others. Look at how these
things affect your kingdom purpose. Then,
work to build those relationships with the Kingdom in mind. It will take you a long way on the road to
being happy.
