There are many things we attribute to God that He never said. One of my favorites is the idea that God wants you to be happy. But is that true? Does God want you happy? I suppose there are several reasons people believe God wants them happy, but not in the way you might think. For example, I have heard people say that God wanted them to be happy as a reason to leave their spouse and move in with someone else. 

Let’s, for a moment, go with the idea that God wants us to be happy. What would that look like? Psalm 1:1-2 gives us a clear view of what happiness might look like through God’s eyes: “Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers, but they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.” My joy, i.e., happiness, comes from my relationship with God rather than from my relationship with others. In fact, following others will not bring me peace and joy but rather the complete opposite.

In 1 John 1:4, it is written, “We write this to make our joy complete.” What was John referring to? What was written? It was the testimony of Jesus. He might even have said, “We are sharing the testimony of Jesus so that, through it, your joy and happiness will be complete and full.” I know I have taken some liberty with this passage, but I believe you get the idea. You see, joy and happiness come from a relationship with God. They become the condition of my heart through obedience and following His words and plan. In other words, God wants me in a relationship with Him, and out of that relationship will come joy, peace, contentment, and happiness. But I might also face hardship and struggle. Ironically, even in those times, I can have peace and happiness. What happiness? Do what He’s said. Think about it.