November 26, 2012
-
happiness & joy: the distinction that SHOULD be made | letter 155 on assurance & fighting for joy
In his blog post titled, "Happiness Is," my friend Daniel ( @daniel626 ) cited Psalm 16:11 (NKJV):
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
In response, I made the following comment:
I LOVE the title! Many Christians make an incorrect distinction between happiness and joy, but the distinction that should be made is between earthly happiness/joy and heavenly happiness/joy. The latter is rooted in and flows from God and God alone, and there is NO true, durable, and genuine happiness or joy found apart from our relationship to God in Christ. God is not a vile curmudgeon, but rather a loving, exuberant heavenly Father who makes available fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore to all who will come to Him!
Related to that... my recent post "you would begin by blowing out all his lamps..." included Edward Payson's testimony of God's increasing his happiness in God. Payson wrote that God made him "as happy as he could be in this world ... by crippling me in all my limbs, and removing me from all my usual sources of enjoyment." Payson also reminds us, "Christians might avoid much trouble and inconvenience, if they would only believe what they profess,— that God is able to make them happy without any thing else." (pp. 410-411)
On that post, my friend Elizabeth ( @stephensmustang ) commented: "It is such a difference in joy and happiness."
I commented back to her:
Yes, when [you] define happiness as fleeting, fleshly, worldly happiness (which I know you do).
I really would love for the Church to reclaim the rightful use of words "happy" and "happiness"! The devil has so many souls hoodwinked. He wants us to believe the lie that God does not want us to be happy (e.g. - see Genesis 3 and the fall), but that's so very far from the truth. God is not at all against our happiness, so long as that happiness is rooted in and flows from Him. Any happiness we may find apart from Him will diminish and exclude God, and that is no true happiness.
Psalm 146:5 you'll often find translated, "Blessed..." but the Hebrew word there is "esher," meaning "happy." "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God" (KJV).
Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
From Strong's Concordance:
be glad = probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome:--cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy(-ful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.
rejoice = to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear:--be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice
shout for joy = to creak (or emit a stridulous sound), i.e. to shout (usually for joy):--aloud for joy, cry out, be joyful (greatly, make to) rejoice, (cause to) shout (for joy), (cause to) sing (aloud, for joy, out), triumph.
Thanks for bearing with me here, dear sister, this is one of my pet peeves.(((hugs)))
Once again, I bring you more of Payson's words on the source of true happiness:
"Suppose a son is walking with his father, in whose wisdom he places the most entire confidence. He follows wherever his father leads, though it may be through thorns and briars, cheerfully and contentedly.
Another son, we will suppose, distrusts his father's wisdom and love, and, when the path is rough or uneven, begins to murmur and repine, wishing that he might be allowed to choose his own path; and though he is obliged to follow, it is with great reluctance and discontent.Now, the reason that Christians in general do not enjoy more of God's presence, is, that they are not willing to walk in his path, when it crosses their own inclinations. But we shall never be happy, until we acquiesce with perfect cheerfulness in all his decisions, and follow wherever he leads without a murmur."
(p. 411)Sept. 26 [1821]. "While lying awake last night, enjoyed most delightful views of God as a Father. Felt that my happiness is as dear to him as to myself; that he would not willingly hurt one hair of my head, nor let me suffer a moment's unnecessary pain. Felt that he was literally as willing to give as I could be to ask. Seemed, indeed, to have nothing to ask for."
* * *
Psalm 144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD."The psalmist began to say, as most do, Happy are the people that are in such a case; those are blessed that prosper in the world. But he immediately corrects himself: Yea, rather, happy are the people whose God is the Lord, who have his favour, and love, and grace, according to the tenour of the covenant, though they have not abundance of this world's goods. As all this, and much more, cannot make us happy, unless the Lord be our God, so, if he be, the want of this, the loss of this, nay, the reverse of this, cannot make us miserable."
~ Matthew Henry"David having prayed for many temporal blessings in the behalf of the people from Psalms 144:12-15, at last concludes, Blessed are the people that are in such a case; but presently he checks and corrects himself, and eats, as it were, his own words, but rather, happy is that people whose God is the Lord. The Syriac rendereth it question wise, 'Is not the people (happy) that is in such a case?' The answer is, 'No', except they have God to boot: Psalms 146:5. Nothing can make that man truly miserable that hath God for his portion, and nothing can make that man truly happy that wants God for his portion. God is the author of all true happiness; he is the donor of all true happiness; he is the maintainer of all true happiness, and he is the centre of all true happiness; and, therefore, he that hath him for his God, and for his portion, is the only happy man in the world."
~ Thomas Brooks (as cited in C.H. Spurgeon's "Treasury of David," boldface mine)Psalm 84:9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. 10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
(From Strong's Concordance ~ "blessed" in Psalm 84:12 is the same word translated "happy" in Psalm 144:15; it's the Hebrew word "esher": happiness)Like Payson, have you received a felt knowledge, a firm and blessed assurance that your Father in heaven truly loves you and desires your happiness, that your happiness is as dear to Him as yourself? Has the Holy Spirit ever borne witness to you that God is your Father and you are a child of God, a joint-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ?Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Are you enjoying that Spirit of adoption so you no longer fear God, but are trusting Him –– even in the midst of suffering, even in the midst of thorns and briars, even in the midst of a rough and uneven path –– fully assured that God the Father is for you and not against you?
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Psalm 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings:
put thou my tears into thy bottle:
are they not in thy book?
9 When I cry unto thee,
hen shall mine enemies turn back:
this I know; for God is for me.Like Payson, have you learned to acquiesce – no, not only to acquiesce, but to cheerfully and contentedly acquiesce – to God's leading and God's decisions, so you might find true happiness?
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Like Payson, have you begun to taste and enjoy, to see and savor the Father's love for you in Jesus Christ?
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus... 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
If not, if your feet are stumbling and your steps are nearly slipping, if your heart is grieved and embittered (~ Psalm 73:2, 73:21), I urge you to run into the sanctuary like the Psalmist (~ Psalm 73:16-28), and remain there diligently seeking God's face through His Word and persevering prayer, waiting upon Him (like Habakkuk ~ 2:1), so He might grant you clear, Biblically informed, true and right views of Himself, rather than languishing in despair and doubt due to wrongly informed views of God based upon fleshly, inaccurate, false and earthly notions. Know this: our Father in heaven has sovereignly ordained and is tenderly superintending over every single trial and temptation His children must face (e.g. - see I Peter 1:6-7; Luke 22:31-34).
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
I John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Source: "Memoir, Select Thoughts and Sermons of the Late Rev. Edward Payson, Volume 1" by Edward Payson (1783-1827) and Asa Cummings, (boldface, mine). HT for the text: http://books.google.com/books?id=nAZMAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false. The Memoir is also included in Volume 1 of "The Complete Works of Edward Payson," published by Sprinkle Publications (1987); page numbers the same.More from Payson:
- "Who wants candles when he has the sun?" ~ Edward Payson | letter 124 on assurance & joy
- "if I would but cease struggling ... I might be happy" (Edward Payson)
- "My situation was so dangerous, so hopeless, that nothing less than the incarnation..." (Payson)
- "Your business is to trust, and go forward." (Edward Payson)
- Ascension Day: "He went up, scattering blessings; & he has done nothing but bless them ever since"
- "you would begin by blowing out all his lamps..." ~ Edward Payson
Other related posts:
my other letters on assurance and fighting for joy
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from Jonathan Edwards
Finding pleasure in Him
As a deer pants ... Is your soul panting for God? (Psalms 42 & 43)
The flags unfurled ... Christ's eternal banner | Lloyd-Jones ~ a third type of assurance
The Christian should not just believe the truth, and know it..." | the Father's assurance
Our Twisted View of God
All things (even BAD things) work together for good... (from the archives)
Christian, don't waste your life whining
Advent #1 WHY HAS JESUS COME? that we might have life & life more abundantly
"The duties of religion are delightful" ~ the fruit of "The Life of God in the Soul of Man"
Martin Luther: "The Spirit ... renders the heart glad & free, as the law demands"
Embittered, pricked in heart? Go into the sanctuary of God (Psalm 73)
Are you a radiant Christian or a drunken old woman? (letter 82 on assurance & fighting for joy)
"the treasure you can never find in a mall" ~ Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift!
"Too long, alas! I vainly sought for happiness below ... " | letter 150 on fighting for joy
The Thorny Hedge for your joy (Hosea 2) | Letter 144 on assurance & fighting for joy
Her Eyes Were Still Restrained ~ "When it looks like he is buried for good..."
Naphtali News: Happy AnniversaryScripture quotations unless otherwise indicated taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Emphasis mine.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Photo credits:
I edited the original work found here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goalposts_and_thorny_hedge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1086796.jpg / CC BY-SA/3.0
"bottle_2618" - own photo / CC BY-SA/3.0
Comments (10)
Joy and happiness are sometimes difficult to separate. They seem to walk with us - hand-in-hand - until happiness crumbles due to circumstances - then joy stands alone because it comes from the Master. Happiness is temporal and fleeting. Joy is strong and endures.
I can see why people shy away from the idea of "happiness" because it seems fleeting, dependent on circumstances; but true happiness is what Jesus said is available to those who are His..."Blessed (happy) are those..." I like your posts on this subject very much because they deal with this so-called dichotomy. To suppress happiness in Christ is to misrepresent Him.
True happiness is only possible if we know we can trust the One who makes us happy. That is the reason that He says we can know we have eternal life.
The language sometimes trips us up, as in the quote by Brooks that was cited: "...Nothing can make that man truly miserable that hath God for his portion, and nothing can make that man truly happy that wants God for his portion. "
Where the word "wants" here means "lacks", without the knowledge of lacking, nor the "desire" to know, as we understand the word to mean. Because when we truly desire God it is because He has shown us our need and drawn us to Himself, thus the happiness that ensues from there.
Thank you for posting this!!
There are some things that I believe God did for me/us that I cannot prove.
1. While going through deep financial distress due to very careless use of credit cards and slowing paying down our debt, my employer sent me and my wife on an all expenses paid tirp to Hawaii.
2. One day due to a variant form of whooping cough, I was hospitalized for 3 weeks, almost died 4 times, and struggled with faith for a few nights.
God sent both events. Hawaii was still more fun and we learned a lot. God used the hospital to prepare us for service at our church.
I get up an try to have fun after my Bible reading and short prayer time. I am no super saint or intellectual giant.
The doctrine of the total depravity of man leaves no choice but to present joy and only coming from God, which sounds correct.
frank
@cerwindoris - I know what you're saying, and for years I said the same thing. The distinction we ought to make isn't between happiness and joy, but rather between earthly/worldly happiness/joy and heavenly/spiritual happiness/joy in Christ. I think when we as Christians talk about "joy" in the Christian life rather than "happiness," it conveys the notion that God doesn't want us to be happy, but that's so far from the case. No earthly/worldly happiness or joy can begin to compare to a taste of spiritual communion/fellowship with the living God; there's no true satisfaction and fullness to be found anywhere else.
@quest4god@revelife - You're welcome. This is something I've been chewing on for some time. Why would anyone want to come to a God whom they think wants to rob them of true happiness? What kind of God would our God be if we didn't find Him fully satisfying in absolutely every way?
Love Divine, ALL loves excelling!
Religion never was designed,
To make our pleasures less.
(Isaac Watts)
@ANVRSADDAY - God has a purpose in the way He leads His children (including both Hawaii trips & hospital trips!). His intent for us to find and treasure Him as the wellspring of all joy. We can and should draw joy from created things (I Tim. 6:17 - He's given us all things richly to enjoy), but we need to keep in mind everything/everyone else are gifts from God, and to thank & praise Him as we ought, always taking care that we don't let the created become idols and usurp God's rightful place in our lives.
One of the results of my life-journey has been discovering that God wants us fulfilled and filled with joy and peace - no matter what our circumstances - and it has become my "soapbox."
@cerwindoris - Amen! And I'm right there with you on that "soapbox!"
Romans 15:13.
love this post. Yes, I think it's the difference in earthly "happiness/joy' and spiritual/Godly joy/happiness. Earthly happiness depends on what we have, who we are as humans and our situations. Heavenly joy is present no matter what we are going through, what we have or who we are. It depends on WHOSE we are.
Loved the path story as well. Good illustration. I agree with Payson--Abba truly cares how we feel. It is as important to Him as it is to us. He's an awesome Father.
@stephensmustang - "It depends on WHOSE we are." - Yes! He IS an awesome Father! I just remembered the hymn, "Children of the Heavenly Father." Here are the first few verses:
Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.
God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.
Edward Payson's Memoir is a treasure trove. I've gone back to reread a few portions of it, but I do want to go back and reread it all the way through again sometime.