Real Happiness Comes from Serving
By Rick Warren
“If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” Mark 8:35 (TLB)
God wired the universe so that happiness does not come from anything the world has to offer.
Happiness comes from service. God designed you to be happiest when you are giving your life away. Why? Because he wants you to become like him—and he gave himself away in love. It’s all about love!
“If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live” (Mark 8:35 TLB).
To have a happy heart, you have to practice service and generosity every day.
Matthew 20:28 says, “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (NLT).
Jesus came to serve and give. Those two things will bring more happiness than anything else in your life, and they define what it means to follow Jesus. If you’re not serving, if you’re not giving, then you’re not following Jesus. It’s very simple.
God also wired the universe in such a way that the more you give yourself away, the more God gives to you and the more blessed and happier you are.
Is your heart growing more generous every year? Are you more generous with your resources this year than you were a year ago? Or are you stuck at the same level of generosity and wondering why you’re also stuck in unhappiness?
In Philippians 2:17-18, Paul says, “Your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice in serving God. If I have to offer my own blood with your sacrifice, I will be happy and full of joy with all of you. You also should be happy and full of joy with me” (NCV).
Your faith compels you to offer your life as a sacrifice and to serve God by serving others. Sacrifice and serving are two of the keys to lifelong happiness as you generously give your life away for the sake of the Gospel.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Be Encouraged Each Day to Live Out God’s Purposes
As thanks for your gift below to help share the gospel with more people around the world through Daily Hope, we’ll send you Pastor Rick’s new book, Daily Hope Devotional: 365 Days of Purpose, Peace, and Promise.
Each devotional starts out with a Bible verse, followed by teaching that explains God’s Word and shows you how to apply it daily so you can face any challenge and live the life you were created to live.
As a special bonus when you give, we’ll also send you What's Driving Your Life?: A 10-Day Turnaround for a Fresh Start. Featuring 10 hand-picked devotions from Pastor Rick’s new book, they’ll guide anyone feeling stressed, worried, or discouraged toward seeking God for a fresh start.
Request your copy below when you give—and take the first step towards a year of real purpose, lasting peace, and unfailing promises.
Thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.