Happiness According to Jesus

I know, I know. I promised I would follow up my previous articles on happiness with a post about Jesus' take on the subject. Time got away from me, but here is the promised article...

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How did Jesus define happiness? I think this is a crucial question, especially considering that everyone innately desires to be happy. But it seems that what most people pursue to secure their happiness only leads them to exhaustion, frustration, and confusion. They might acquire a lot of stuff, make quite a name for themselves, or even accomplish all the goals they set out for their life, yet still feel an ache, an emptiness that never is filled. Jesus said that He came "that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Jesus wants you and me to experience the fullness of life right here and right now. He desires the best for us. But what He defines as "best" is often very different from what we might think. So, let's look at how Jesus defined happiness in God's kingdom.

One of Jesus' first public sermons is recorded in Matthew 5, often referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. He begins this famous sermon with what are called the Beatitudes. What are those? Beatitude is defined as "supreme blessedness or happiness." (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition). In His sermon introduction we learn what Jesus considers supreme happiness in the kingdom of God. And His revelation starts out making sense, "Blessed [Happy] are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." I can get that. Humility is a key characteristic of those who are truly, or supremely, happy. They don't puff themselves up, but rather understand that God is above all and in control. Of course, those who adopt such an attitude would be well on their way to real happiness.

But Jesus continues, and in so doing begins to confuse our usual definitions of happiness. He says, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Hmm. Happy are the mourners? When do you mourn? When someone has died, or when you have suffered a great loss, right? How could such a circumstance be included in Jesus' definition of happiness? Because of the result: comfort. For those who feel deeply, and embrace their losses unashamedly, there is a wonderful comfort that comes at the end of such grief. And in that comfort a person experiences the presence of God, the Almighty Comforter of those who mourn. To mourn is to be honest and invite the comfort of God, and happy is the heart whose grief has been touched by the hand of God.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Are you seeing a pattern yet? I mean, when will Jesus say, "Blessed are the famous, the wealthy, and the 'important'?" Seems like Jesus is revealing a definition for happiness that is attainable for all, not just the "gifted" or well off. Anyone can be meek, humbly patient despite oncoming opposition. This sort of gentleness molds a happy heart.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." How many in our world today truly hunger and thirst for what is right, what is pure, what is of God? Few, and even fewer by the day. Yet, Jesus said it is these who experience true happiness. To be filled with a desire for righteousness, and to pursue it as your sustenance, fills a place in your heart that cannot be filled with material possessions or anything else. Do you want to feel truly filled up, fully content? Then hunger and thirst for righteousness.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Have you noticed that the world's paradigm for happiness is to "get to the top" no matter the cost, and no matter who you crush to get there? Mercilessness is often the mantra of "success" in this day and age. But such cruelty, however justified it may be, never fills a heart, a life with happiness. No, it is the merciful who invite the very blessedness of God into their hearts and lives. To withhold judgment and wrath, even for those who deserve it, is what contributes to a truly abundant, happy life. Strange? Yes. Mysterious? Yes. But true, nonetheless.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Oh, what happiness to walk in purity! This one is particularly special to me. For years I walked in impurity, inviting filth into my mind and heart. And all this "mud" prevented me from really seeing God, not to mention all the heartache and unhappiness that accompanied my addictive behaviors. But to walk in purity, to have a clean heart before God, what happiness, what joy! Why does purity bring such happiness? Because you see God in ever increasing glory and splendor. Could there be anything that brings greater happiness?

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Peace is a close cousin to happiness. When your spirit is rested, content, you are free to live, and enjoy, abundant life. And those who promote such peace, God's peace, gain a happiness that cannot be stolen by circumstance or ridicule. Peace is a beautiful thing.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Whoa! Wait a second. Did Jesus just say that those who get persecuted for doing the right thing are HAPPY?! Yes He did. How is that possible? I know none of us would have included persecution as a defining characteristic of happiness. But God's kingdom is not like the world. When you do the right thing in spite of the negative consequences from those who disagree with you, you are demonstrating strength, honor, and integrity. Happiness is reserved for those unswayed by the ever-changing winds of public opinion, and rather are rooted firmly in the solid truth of God's Word. Do the right thing, take some shots on the chin, and you will be filled with a mysterious happiness. Yes, happy are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.

Jesus concludes the introduction of his sermon with this statement, "Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (emphasis mine) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad...for persecution, reviling, and evil spoken against you? Is it apparent that Jesus has a vastly different definition for happiness than our culture? He seems to be saying that happiness in the here and now has much more to do about your eternal perspective than it does with temporary circumstance. I believe that is precisely the point He is making. How else could someone be exceedingly glad in the moment they are being persecuted? Seeing beyond the pain of the moment, a happiness washes over the soul of the one who understands that in God's kingdom such persecution brings about eternal rewards, treasures that can never be destroyed or stolen away.

So, do you want to be truly happy? Not happy according to what you think will make you happy. After all, as Dr. Phil says, "How's that workin' for you?" I want to know if you want REAL happiness, the kind that becomes palpable to those around you, the kind that causes others to turn their heads and wonder, "How does he smile in the midst of his financial struggles?" or "Why is she singing despite receiving such terrible news at the doctor's office?" This kind of deep happiness and contentment only comes by embracing Jesus' definition for happiness. It is a hard definition to accept, but it is the only one that truly satisfies. Will you pursue the happiness that Jesus offers? I hope so...

Learning to be happy,

jonathan