Does God Really Want Us To Be Happy??

A Question that many Christians ask is 'Does God really want us to be happy'? We often hear happiness is based on 'What Happen's'. The situations and circumstances of life then dictate how 'Happy' we are. If everything is going good, we are happy. If things aren't going so well, we are 'Unhappy'. Then we as Christians speak of Joy. We know the Scripture, 'It is Joy unspeakable and full of Glory'. However, it's very difficult to distinguish between the two, Happiness and Joy. We say Joy is an Internal work of God that we have regardless of the circumstances and situations of life. However, how do we or should we distinguish between the two, Joy and Happiness. It's very difficult for me to do that. My mind is not really capable of understanding the difference. If I am UNHAPPY and Filled with JOY it seems to be incongruous. In recent Biblical study on the subject I believe these two words Joy and Happiness are much the same. To say God gives us Joy but we are Unhappy is too difficult for me to understand. I do believe God wants his people to be HAPPY. I'm not suggesting there's not bad days and bad times and that as Believers we don't have troubles, trials and tribulations. These type situations have a tendency to affect our emotions and thus take some of our Happiness. However, it seems as if many Christians are living far below the area of Happiness and/or Joy (however you define it), then God intended. I'm not suggesting that

24 / 7 - 365 is a Happy time all the time. But surely God does not want His people to be down,distraught, discouraged, despondent and depressed more often than they are happy. The Psalmist declared in chptr. 30..v. 11 (AMP), You (God) have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with Joy. Surely there's a greater supply of Happiness / Joy than many are experiencing today. May God grant you the fullness of Joy / Happiness that is within the context of His Holy Word today.

Pastor Tim O'Brien