What Did Jesus Have to Say about Seeking Happiness?

The following is a transcribed Video Q&A, so the text may not read like an edited article would.

Well, I think one way to see what Jesus had to say about happiness is to see the nine statements in the Beatitudes. Or at least nine uses of the word makarios, meaning happy. They begin, “Happy are…” Some of them might make sense to us, like “happy are the peacemakers”. We understand there is a lot of work to peacemaking but there is satisfaction in helping other people and serving other people. Several beatitudes relate to that. “Happy are the merciful”, that’s something you do and show toward other people. All of these things we may understand. But there are some of which seem quite unlikely. As an example, “Happy are you when you are persecuted….” And then he says, “rejoice and be glad”. Why? Because great is your reward in heaven. That is where Jesus says “you can be happy right now” if you front-load the reality that God approves and will reward you someday for the suffering you are now experiencing, you can get a foretaste of that eternal happiness.

Finally, I would say that when Jesus says the master speaking to the servant “well-done my good and faithful servant enter into your Master’s happiness.” I love this because he doesn’t say muster up your own happiness or cultivate your happiness somehow, make yourself happy. No, he says enter into your master’s happiness. A happiness that existed before the world itself was created. A happiness that continues now even when God disapproves of and judges sin but remains happy in Himself and He is delighted in His people and a happiness that will continue into all eternity. Enter into your Master’s happiness, when I think of words of Jesus related to happiness, I don’t think there are better words than that. Enter into God’s own happiness.

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