I'm not happy...

I'm not happy. Not all the time at least. I've probably never been happy for any period much longer than a day, if that much. I cry more than any human should. 

I don't have to be happy all the time. Sometimes life sucks. Bad things happen all the time.

We get sick.

We lose loved ones.

We lose jobs.

We're just way too stressed.

We mess up plans.

We don't measure up.

We're just plain sad. 

Who can be happy in that?

No one, if they're really being honest. It's a good thing God gives us joy to sustain us when happiness wanes. God gives us joy to carry on when there is no way to be happy. Happiness is too dependent on circumstances for us to be dependent on it.

When those bad things happen, people are tempted to get angry at God, to ask where He is. I know I am. But "in times like these, we find out whether we have based our faith on who God is or on what He does" (A Heart Like His by Beth Moore).

A faith built on the works of God that we view as good will bring temporary happiness. It is a faith built on human understanding and perspectives. It's volatile and fleeting.

A faith built on the faithful and good character of God will bring enduring joy. We don't have to understand what He does to know that it's good, to trust Him because He is who He says He is.

Isaiah 55:6-13 (ESV)

“Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

“For you shall go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

shall break forth into singing,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;

instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;

and it shall make a name for the Lord,

an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Psalm 4 (ESV)

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? 

 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. 

 Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.
There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

 

God is good; God is faithful. God gives us joy to sustain us because He knows us well enough to know that we won't always understand. And we won't always be happy. But we will be joyful if we put our faith in Him and not His works that we deem "good."