Is the Christian walk always happy?

In this clip, Ted uses Joel Osteen as an example because Osteen is one of the biggest proponents of the pie in the sky, always happy, always positive pipe dream. But this post isn't about Osteen, it's about all of those preachers out there who sell the same thing.

I think Ted has attained a lot of maturity and wisdom and we should listen to him on this. The Bible doesn't teach we will always have happiness or that we can simply decide to be happy; but it does teach we will be comforted in our times of sorrow, pain or grief. There are a lot of so-called preachers of the gospel out there selling people a lot of false hope. We would do well to reject this and stay grounded in reality.

To follow Jesus, we would be going against worldly ways. As time goes on.. this going against is getting more and more narrow as the world gets more ungodly.

So we can expect persecution, shunning and suffering for Christ.

The joy is in knowing it's all for Him.. but this isn't being 'happy ' all the time.

(John 15:18) If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
(John 15:19) If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
(John 15:20) Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
(John 15:21) But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

he Bible doesn't teach we will always have happiness or that we can simply decide to be happy; but it does teach we will be comforted in our times of sorrow, pain or grief.

Again we like to take what people say and twist it to suit our own Agenda to trash and Bash other preachers that we don't agree with ----nothing new Here ---same old stuff -----

The saying on the Video says ----Joel TELLS US TO BE HAPPY -------and that is not what he says at all--- He clearly says from the get go ------you have a choice to be in Faith ---happiness and favour ---or you can Choose live in discouragement ---- defeated and focused on our problems -------that is what his inspirational speech is about ---all truth----he speaks truth -------

What you have here is someone who doesn't like Joel and decides to take what Joel is saying and twist it to suit his trashing and bashing character and agenda -----


First thing that comes out of Joel's mouth ----is I want to talk to you today about CHOOSING TO BE HAPPY -----he is not telling anyone to be happy all the time ------

We have Free will to Choose our Mood as soon as we wake up in the morning -----so what he is saying is choose to be happy -------

The Christian walk is very Hard ----but people who call themselves Christians are the worst for trashing and bashing other Christians ------that is how I see that ------

So listen to the video ----and hear the true speech ---instead of listening to people who just call themselves Christians and show that they truly are not what they say they are ------

Something to ponder

Biblically it's not possible to maintain a state happiness continually. If it's true that there is a time for every season, then logically there is also not a time for such. But happiness is a poor goal for a Christian. Happiness is temporal and thus fleeting. Joy, conversely, isn't subject to circumstances and can abide in the most trying of times.
The prosperity gospel assumes that if we can optimize our circumstances, we will be satisfied. But the deepest longings of the human heart cannot be satisfied this way. God alone can meet these longings in Christ.

i love this account

“And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:22-34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Choosing the joy of the lord is always and option even when all Our feelings weep and frustrate circumstances crumble he is always constant

This is true, but Joel is more of a motivational speaker than genuinely christian

For about two decades now I have been learning to find the Lord in my circumstances.

That is: instead of declaring "Whoa is me!" I ask Him "What are you doing?" I'm wise enough to know my instruction is not complete: just when I conquer what seems to be the most difficult of circumstances, He leads me forward into an other. I expect all sons of God are treated this way as they advance toward maturity. It is, after all, the way a loving father prepares his children for greater things.

As an aside (sort of): being critical of apostasy had its place early in my walk with God. Not that we should ever tolerate apostasy but it (speaking against wrong) dominated most of my thinking. As I matured I learned that there is much more than cursing the darkness to the walk of a son. Indeed, God uses the apostasy all around to remind us of our need for Him in increasing measure as we mature. In short: constantly cursing the darkness is a dalliance reserved for children. As one matures they learn to be examples of the Word they claim to believe.

There is much wisdom in your words. Plus, I always think it is appropriate to show appreciation for any post that includes the word "dalliance ".