Can a Christian have a happy life?

joaniemarie · Dec 1, 2017

CS1 said:

Yes, happiness depends on what is happening and that changes all the time. The joy of the Lord is our strength and that has staying power. But I must hasten to mention God is not calling us to think on or about the tribulations of getting our limbs cut off or having us or our loved ones falling into horrible sickness and death .

I wish MORE believers would remember the whatsoever good and lovely things enough to talk about them more than the fearful and ugly things. Tribulations come but they are not coming from God. When the world., the flesh and the devil bring them., He will get us through. We should not be thinking on the different horrors of evil that might befall us each day on planet earth. Instead we should be thinking of Jesus and the lovely things He has done and will do.

Angela53510 · Dec 1, 2017

When my RA was at its worst in the early years, I became very depressed. I didn't even go to church, pray or read my Bible. I turned my back on God, but he did not turn his back on me.

Depression is complex! I don't know if you are on medication, but I would urge you to look into it, if you are not. For me, spiritually, God finally called me back, and told me to read 5 Psalms a day. You would do well to do that. I read them over and over, the entire book once a month for 2 years. It was so healing.

Here is one verse God gave me:

"Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
[FONT=&quot]my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:5[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

This gave me hope, because I knew God understood the pain I was in, and how depressed I was. And yet, I could praise him in spite of everything.

Another thing that really helped me out of my depression, was meditating on the following verse. I would wake up 1/2 hour early, and just lie in bed and say this verse over slowly. I let the Holy Spirit show me what each word meant. And God just ministered to me and changed my heart, until I wasn't depressed anymore. At that point, I was able to get off medications for depression.

[/FONT]"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding,
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths." Prov. 3:5-6
[FONT=&quot]
Please try meditating on this verse. Or other verses the Holy Spirit may give you! It hides God Word in your heart, and it changes us from the inside out! [/FONT]

mar09 · Dec 1, 2017

Hi angelique,

Matthew 5 says Blessed are the poor in spirit, etc... and in other translations it says 'Happy.' I have realized in my short/long life however we look at it, the more i think abt God's goodness, love and faithfulness, the more happy i am. But when i am selfish, proud, lazy, or whatever is not pleasing to Him, i never am. Also when we learn to be content and not always thinking of what could be or could have been, the feeling of things not being good enough is lessened. This isnt to say i am always happy, coz i am the more serious than joyful/cheerful person, but we can be quiet and (still) not be grumbling inside, and instead being thankful at all times. Traffic or long trips, for example, may irritate many ppl. And while it does give me a little back ache, i am learning to use the time to pray or meditate, also observe the diversity and beauty of what we pass by, whether these be buildings and other pilgrims in life, or the scenery and God's creation. When i first joined cc, i was in such a low that i myself would say i was not happy for a long, many mos.-- and years too-- but by God's goodness and grace, that is past. And being thankful is one sure way to be happy in the presence of the Lord.

dcontroversal · Dec 1, 2017

CS1 said:

It could be stated that hapiness is based upon our current external circumstance whereas Joy is the result of an inward, spiritual over flowing perse......

MarcR · Dec 1, 2017

Jesus has said Jn 16:24
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
KJV

He also said Jn 16:33
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
KJV

In order for both statements to make sense; it must be true that Jesus wants to give us a joy that does NOT depend on our earthly circumstances.

When you begin to feel depressed, ask Jesus for the joy He said that He wants you to have; and trust Him to give it to you.

Beez · Dec 1, 2017

Angelique said:

When questions like this are asked, a whole lot of clichés get tossed about, one of which is "Happiness is a choice."
These clichés are problematic.
Mainly, they are problematic because they are often true!
Secondly, they are often problematic because the one who is depressed doesn't believe them.
Over time, I have observed that the depressed one will not even attempt to act upon such clichés until their truths click, and the depressed one becomes responsive rather than simply reactive.

Angelique, having been through this myself, and having gone through it with others, I was delighted to see your response to some others here, that you are ready to try! That is a major indicator, by my experiences, that you are ready! G-D bless you as you move through this onto a different life-plane!!

breno785au · Dec 1, 2017

dcontroversal said:

I must confess I feel as if though I've been ashamed of my faith for quite some time and didn't realise it until Holy Spirit pointed it out. I have since then repented but have numerous times asked for boldness like they did in Acts after their persecution and I must say He has been faithful. I'm, in a healthy way, caring less and less what people think and speaking up about my faith. I don't know what Holy Spirit has done and is doing but He is doing an awesome work hehehe

So yes, I do hope one day I fully understand and take persecution with joy, knowing that I'm considered worthy of being persecuted for His name sake.

Beez · Dec 1, 2017

breno785au said:

Don't you think that is partly your own maturing in the faith and partly a gained appreciation for the L-RD because of His helping you mature? I think most people go through this -- ?? -- and you are on the other side of a common level. Don't kick yourself around -- okay?

Hey -- just my opinion!

Mercy4u · Dec 1, 2017

dcontroversal said:

Which would be a true statement.

We can have joy in a very,very unhappy situation.

As Paul says," I have LEARNED....."

Philippians 4:12

New American Standard Bible
I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

2 Pet 3:18
New American Standard Bible
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Silverwings · Dec 1, 2017

Why on earth would you be ashamed of your faith?

For me it was the most glorious day of my life!!

It has been 32 years, and I have never changed my mind.

mcubed · Dec 1, 2017

Yes, we can and do, or I do have a happy life. And yes, life can and is very sad sometimes too. It is a mix. Some of my favorite Scripture is:
Ecclesiastes 3New International Version (NIV)
A Time for Everything
3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

That is actually life on life’s terms for the Saved and the unsaved. What is different for us is we have a hope that the non-saved have and that is life eternal with our G-d. Peter said, and is right, we are aliens, living in temporary tents. That is our/my daily Joy and Peace. But because I know Him the lover of my soul He gives me more good days/months/ years than the ones I do not like.

Mercy4u · Dec 1, 2017

Silverwings said:

That is not the way I read His post.

If you have been intimidated and felt intense pressure to "keep your mouth shut" in tough circumstances and still boldly confronted everyone in your life, God bless you.

The rest of us have failed many times.

John 13:38
New American Standard Bible
Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Jackson123 · Dec 1, 2017

A Christian will happy if he focus on thing above. I often depress, because I am not focus on Him.

Imagine, our life on earth is temporary, and it is short, compare eternity. If we poor, it is short poor, if it is rich, it is short rich.

I remember when my friend mom die, then she back to life. She said she meet Jesus, Jesus remind her that life on earth is only a second, compare with after death life.

To me me it is mean if you poor, only poor a second, than you will be richer than Bill Gate in heaven after you die.

If you rich on earth, it is only a second in the perspective of eternity.

There re is no reason to be stress because a second poor, or happy for being rich for a second

we we are happy because we will rich forever with the Lord in heaven.

Indonesian culture, a child taking care they parent in they old age.

there was a dad going bankrupt and go to prison for some time. He was very sad. Than he find out that his son just come from

overseas bring a lot of money and start big business, buy million dollar home.

That make him happy, though he had to be in prison for 4 more days.

He knows another 4 days, he will life in the mansion with his loving son

We my poor now, but it only for a second (in eternal perspective) then why we depress?

2 Corinthian 4

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

breno785au · Dec 2, 2017

Silverwings said:

Because my old self cares too much about what others think and I am learning to not premeditated in my mind of what people would do, think or say.

Johnny_B · Dec 2, 2017

Magenta said:

That is based on what you think good is, because there are those here that think a God that is holy, righteous in judgement by sending sinners to eternal judgement, is not good.

God is good when we view Him as good according to His view of Good, it is like Jesus said in Mark 10:18 “And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”

Chester · Dec 4, 2017

Yes, there is joy for the Christian life.

Yes, there is struggle, pain, and toil in the Christian life.

The two often come down parallel tracks and arrive at about the same time!

The deeper the pain and toil and struggle the deeper will be the joy.

Hang in there! Joy comes in the morning.

mar09 · Dec 5, 2017

Jackson123 said:

Thank you, jackson, for that share. As you know, most of the folks here are from the west, and first world countries, although we do learn and enjoy fellowship with them. But i miss ppl with some same background (i mean the rice and coconut fields, and more=)... and realize we do have much more in common in fact, we all love Christ... but we come from very different 'settings.' I am not sure if u do appreciate this too, but one day recently, i managed to have fresh young coconut for breakfast, and not that coconut is rare, but getting fresh from the stalls or vendors needs a special trip we cannot always have in the morning. Those little things make me happy, much more than a boxed (tetra-pack) juice without the soft white flesh to enjoy as well. The variety of fish around our islands too!

Never mind we dont use aircon, there are days we just have wind, and plenty of wind. Just happens to be not in my kitchen=).

Depleted · Dec 5, 2017

Angelique said:

Easy doesn't mean happy. Happy doesn't mean rainbows and unicorns.

God promised neither. But he did promise joy, and he did promise a hard path. The joy is in him, not the path.

I'm 61, have been a Christian for 45 years, and have rarely had an easy life. (He does give an oasis here and there as we walk through the wilderness.) I enjoy the oasis the best, but feel him hugging me/clutching me under his wing/raising me like wings of an eagle, particularly when life wasn't easy. Admittedly, I have truly had to sit still and take the time to feel him taking care of me, which is often hard to do when we're up to our eyeballs in alligators but charged to drain the swamp.

Content! Mostly what I feel with the Lord. No idea if that means happy or joyous, but it's what he gives me.

Depleted · Dec 5, 2017

Silverwings said:

Odd. Why do you think it was a day 32 years ago?

Ugly · Dec 5, 2017

Silverwings said:

Because everyone is different? And everyone's situations are different? And everyone's circumstances are different?
Peter walked with Jesus and saw, even was part of miracles, yet denied his faith. If one of Christ's closest friends was ashamed why is it so difficult to believe people 1000s of years later may be as well?

Can a Christian have a happy life?

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