Happiness

Have you ever asked yourself just what it means to be truly happy? Men today define happiness as the pursuit of pleasure and the acquiring of things with which to make life easier and more enjoyable. Yet the enigma of our day is this: the pursuit of pleasure and the acquiring of things have not brought true happiness. The wealthy man is not really happy; nor is the sophisticated intellectual; and neither is the common man. If you do not believe this, just look around and see the discontent and dissatisfaction in the people about you...as well as yourself. Crime is on the increase, moral values have lost their meaning, and a keen sense of disillusionment with life has taken possession of man.

The story is told of a king who had everything that should have made him happy. His armies were victorious and the power and wealth of his kingdom were well established. As a conquering potentate he should have been supremely happy, but he was not. He was a most unhappy man. He had everything he wanted, with one exception... happiness. Why was this? He had unconfessed sin in his life. He had taken another man's wife, and in hope of covering this crime, he had ordered the murder of the woman's husband. Murder and adultery, these are sins that are prevalent today. As it was with this king, so it is with us. Whatever may be our sin, or sins, we can never be truly happy until all of them are confessed to God and forgiven. The king knew that he would some day face a holy God. The Bible tells us that every man will some day face God and be judged according to his deeds, whether they be good or evil. This king also knew he could pray to God for forgiveness. His penitential prayer is recorded in the Bible in these words, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions."

What then was the result of this sincere prayer? God heard him and forgave his sins. Then the king could say, "Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven...and happy is the man to whom the Lord does not charge iniquity."

Who, then, is a truly happy man? He is the man who knows that God has forgiven him his sins. Perhaps you, too, desire to find this happiness, but do not know just how to pray. All you need to do is to pray sincerely, putting your trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became man and lived a sinless life. He had no sin; therefore He could pay the debt of your sins. He gave His life on the cross to pay for the sins of all mankind, and thus broke down the wall of sin that separated man and God.

Come to God and say, "Be merciful to me, a sinner. Forgive my sins and give me peace of heart, because I trust in Jesus Christ who gave His life for me." God says, "Him that comes unto me I will in no wise cast out," and, "Whosoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved."

"Whosoever" means you. When you receive forgiveness you receive eternal life, and the peace of God in your heart will bring you the happiness you desire.

References: Psalm 51:1; Psalm 32:1-2; John 6:37; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13