Mythbusters: God Doesn't Want You to be Happy

I know we’re all familiar with the TV show Mythbusters, where a group of men and women set out to either prove or disprove an accepted societal belief. Well this fall at youth my hubby is doing a series about busting myths about Christianity. Christians and non-Christians alike both have them – things we think to be true about Christianity but are actually not.

So I have decided to do a short series on some of the own myths I have held at one time or another. This series will be loosely based on Craig Groeschel’s book The Christian Atheist.  It is a fantastic book that really makes you think about your relationship with Christ and I would certainly recommend it!

So here we go!

Myth #1) God wants you to be happy.

Wait, what? You mean God doesn’t want you to be happy? Yah, I was a little confused the first time I heard that too. Craig Groeschel was not my first experience with this myth … a few years ago I heard a sermon on it at a church I visited. I don’t remember the specifics of the sermon, but it was obviously not presented in a way that I understood because when I left I remember thinking that the Pastor was just flat out wrong! 

Now, a few years later, I understand what that Pastor and Craig Groeschel are both trying to share.  In The Christian Atheist, Groeschel says that when we think that God wants us to be happy above all else we wrongly believe that God is supposed to serve us. We forget that our purpose is to serve HIM.  God becomes a means to our end: Happiness. Instead, God wants us to be more than happy.

The feeling of happiness is based on our circumstances. It is fleeting. It can change at a moment’s notice. A dictionary definition would be “a state of well-being, a pleasurable or satisfying experience."It is not a way of life, which is why I think God wants so much for us.

Truth #1: God doesn’t want us to be happy, He wants us to be CONTENT. 

 Contentment is about being satisfied with what we have, who we are, and where we’re going. It means letting God be ENOUGH.  In Matthew, Jesus tells us not to worry about Earthly things but rather to seek Him instead. (Matthew 6:25, 6:32-33). Our world has a craving for more and more, always telling us that what we are and what we have is never good enough. Contentment does not come naturally for us. Remember Paul? He went without many comforts we consider necessary and yet he knew what it was to be content. “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13). Paul knew the secret to being content is trusting God to completely satisfy you and to be more than enough, no matter what your circumstances are.

Truth #2: God doesn’t want us to be happy, He wants us to be HOLY.

 In the Hebrew language, holy means “separated or set apart.” That means a couple of different things to me, the first being that God doesn’t mean for Christians to look like the rest of the world. He means for us to be different, to live a life that is full of uncommon love, generosity, and willingness to serve. In 1 Peter, Paul says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) It is our job to be a light and example of Christ to the world. And to be honest, sometimes often this means being in uncomfortable situations or going without something that might make you “happy.” Holy also means giving our entire selves fully over to Christ, again allowing Him to be enough.  It means allowing God to guide and direct our steps and to chisel away the things that cause us to be like the world, which can certainly be painful. “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16)

Check out this skit called God's Chisel.

 

Truth #3: God doesn’t want us to be happy, He wants us to be JOYFUL.

Unlike happiness, joy isn’t based on circumstances or other people. Joy is a choice, and it is one you have to make every day. Joy is based on your relationship with Christ. It doesn’t come from seeking it (what ever it is) but from seeking Him.

 

“Happiness is dependent on outward circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, is internal and constant. As believers, we have an unlimited source of joy through Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t be as concerned about happiness which is dependent on outward circumstances. We should have joy in the Lord based on an internal constant – our relationship with Him.” – Larry Jones

When I was VBS one time we learned this acronym for JOY: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. How true this idea is! Being joyful means trusting God and being grateful for whatever circumstances you might find yourself in and always putting that relationship first!  It is even one of the Fruits of the Spirit and shows evidence of our relationship with Christ.

Truth #4: God doesn’t want us to be happy, He wants us to be BLESSED. 

The Biblical definition of being blessed is much different than our worldly definition. We tend to associate blessings with things, how much stuff you have, how much money you have.  And of course there is the influence of pastors’ who preach the “prosperity gospel.” Being blessed doesn’t mean God is going to give you everything you ask for. In fact, if we look at the Beatitudes we see a very different definition of being blessed. The Beatitudes say we are blessed when we come last, when we need comfort, when we are peacemakers, when we are persecuted, when we are pure, when we seek Him, when we show mercy, and when we are poor in spirit, or in other words, in desperate need of God. Being blessed has nothing to do with good fortune or comforts of this world, but everything to do with inner joy and peace that comes from your relationship with Christ. Have you heard the song "Blessings" by Laura Story? She wrote this song when her husband was going through cancer, and it talks about how sometimes blessings come in the form of heartache or difficult situations. Check it out below. 

Happiness isn’t the point. God is. Groeschel shares that God doesn’t want us to be happy when it causes us to do something unwise. He also doesn’t want us to be happy when our happiness is based on the things of this world. We’re not happy with the things of this world because we are not made for this world! We were made to complete in Christ, and to spend our days worshiping and serving Him.

For more information, please see the chapter in The Christian Atheist called “You Believe in God but Pursue Happiness at any Cost.”