"The abnegation of reason is not the evidence of faith, but the confession of despair."
- J.B. Lightfoot
Saturday, February 11, 2012
First, I want to define some terms, as otherwise a question like this causes lots of confusion.
By "happy", I don't mean happy in the way the health and wealth gospel does. I'm not talking about perfect or even better life circumstances. I mean "happy" in the way we use it in our day to day conversations. And I'm not too interested in semantic arguments about the difference between happiness and joy.
Secondly, I'm not asking if Jesus "should" make you happy or if you expect him to (or don't expect him to) make you happy. I'm asking if he does make you happy. And I don't mean "you" in a generic sense. I mean you.
Finally, this isn't a loaded question. I don't have an agenda, although I confess that one might develop based on the conversation, if any, this inspires.
Leave your response in the comments thread. Thanks!
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Comments on "Does Jesus Make You Happy?":
3. Bill
- 02/11/2012 10:41 pm CST
Elizabeth,
I am so sorry to hear that. I hate, hate, hate depression.
Praying for you tonight.
4. Ken Leonard
- 02/11/2012 11:03 pm CST
Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I've been through depression before, and it hurts beyond belief. I'm very sorry, and I want you to know that I'm praying for you. Depression is an awful disease, and I hate what it does to good people.
As to the question ... sometimes. When knowing that He loves me doesn't make me happy, I know that it's a warning that my heart isn't in the right places. I'm letting other things get in the way.
5. Thomas
- 02/12/2012 1:15 am CST
I know Jesus makes me happy because I remember how miserable life was before Jesus.
Jesus is the rock that my life stands on.
Before Jesus, I was in continual existential crisis. I had no idea why I was here and where I was going. I had everything this world could offer. I was young, healthy, attractive, and had a 7 figure income and everything that comes with that. But, miserable.
Now I am somewhat old, gray, fat, poorer but not poor, and have experienced serious health issues and lost a child.
But I'm with Jesus and much happier now than then.
7. MzEllen
- 02/12/2012 10:16 am CST
Jesus makes me joyful (different than "happy")
Being joyful makes it easier to see the things in life that make me happy.
9. nhe
- 02/12/2012 5:44 pm CST
Funny you ask this, our pastor said today:
"Happiness emerges from positive circumstances, joy emerges with no regard for circumstances"
I kind of like that, I think there should be a delineated distinction between between happiness and joy.
10. Bill
- 02/12/2012 6:32 pm CST
nhe,
I agree - I've often taught that happiness is based on what happens to you, versus joy which is not based on happening (well, it can be, but doesn't have to be).
I just didn't want to get that precise in this post, that's all.
11. Karl
- 02/12/2012 8:22 pm CST
If it was a casual conversation and I was speaking on a surface level the way I would if I said "my wife makes me happy" then I'd answer: yes. If it was a more serious question of the sort that usually gets asked around here and I had to just give an answer without qualification, I'd answer: sometimes.
Because the way I use the word in my day to day conversations stems from the fact that happiness is an emotion that is not always present; there are times when I'm not happy, and none of the things that sometimes make me happy make me happy all of the time, not even Jesus.
12. Bill
- 02/12/2012 8:30 pm CST
Karl,
Well said. It was for that reason that I didn't ask "does Jesus make you happy at all times". Because none of us, I think, knows unremitting happiness or even joy, even with our relationship with Jesus.
13. nhe
- 02/13/2012 8:57 am CST
"What is meant by believing in Christ? For a man to believe in Christ is to have all his dependence on Christ to make him happy." -Jonathan Edwards
14. Weekend Fisher
- 02/13/2012 7:57 pm CST
Right now I'd say, "he keeps me from despair." I've got a little bit of a dark time going in my life, so "keeps me from despair" is not meant as a sleight at all. Or to put that the other way around, he's hope to me.
Take care & God bless
WF
15. Bill
- 02/13/2012 8:36 pm CST
WF,
Thanks so much for commenting, and I pray that the dark times end soon for you.
Leave a Comment:
I'll say this:
When I think of the kind of person that I often tend to be, and then realize that Jesus still wholeheartedly loves me in spite of all of it, I am happy.