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Lots of people think that the most important thing in life is to do what makes you feel good. In fact, you might hear people say, if it makes you feel good then it must be OK. Christians who think this way act like God’s deepest desire is for you to be happy.
But God never said that. God never says to do what feels right because God never says that his greatest goal is to make you happy.
God Doesn’t Exist to Serve You
A lot of people think that God exists to just serve them. He’s like a Santa in heaven. Just ask God for what you want, and he has to give it to you. That’s not how God works.
God isn’t here to give you everything you want. He isn’t here to make your life problem free. Actually, you exist to worship God. God doesn’t worship you.
Sometimes God Doesn’t Want You to be “Happy”
Some things make us happy but aren’t good for us. They might bring temporary pleasure but pull us far away from God.
1 John 2:15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
It’s tempting to find happiness in things that are opposed to God. That’s what it means to love the world. The world is anything that is opposed to God. And there is a lot of stuff in the world that looks fun but will actually hurt you. Like what?
1 John 2:16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
People try and find happiness in dating, sex, their stuff, or anything that makes them proud. All those things might make you happy for a moment, but they pull you away from God. So, does God want us to be happy at all?
God Wants You Happy on His Terms
God doesn’t want you to be depressed and sad for your entire life. Yes, God wants you to be happy, but in a way that honors him.
Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
It turns out God does want you to be happy. He wants to give you the desires of your heart. But that only happens when you find your joy in God first of all. The thing that is going to bring you the most joy in life is being connected to God and following him.
Remember, true happiness comes from God. So God does want you happy as long as your happiness is based on stuff that brings you closer to him and honors him.
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What makes you happiest in life? Why does it make you happy?
- List some things that make people temporarily happy, but don’t honor God.
- What is the problem with thinking that God is just like a big Santa in heaven?
- Read 1 John 2:15-16. What is the danger of finding happiness in things that don’t honor God?
- Read Psalm 37:4. How does delighting in God lead to true happiness?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
