Hosanna Restoration Church

These scriptures have challenged me to be completely happy. When I catch myself thinking differently, I ask, “Is this completely happy?” No! I have not mastered it yet, but it is worth working toward. You see, one of the main goals of the enemy is to steal our joy and remove happiness from our lives. Just because something does not necessarily make me happy does not mean that I cannot find happiness!

If Jesus said that He came so our joy would be made full, or so that we could be completely happy like He is; I figure if it was worth it to Him to die to get this to me, the least I can do is attempt to make it happen. We do not necessarily need to be happy with circumstances in order to be completely happy. I mean think about it. The fact that Jesus is praying for us and that God has a plan to fix things gives us ample reason to get happy.

Just consider if you will, how many people outside of Christ torture themselves in an attempt to get happy. They abuse their bodies with alcohol, drugs, or what ever form of stimulation they can think of in order to catch a little buzz of happiness. Even when it works it only lasts for a short time and then the misery is back with a vengeance. Unfortunately, many Christians are just as miserable.

Have you ever wondered why we are more willing expect the worst than we are to expect the best, and more likely to speak of the worst than we are of the best. There could be some who would take exception to this suggestion of pressing for complete happiness because they do not believe it is possible. Many of the things that God promises seem like impossible dreams, until we decide that He would not have said it if He did not mean it. Just as He said He was going to prepare a place for us. He emphasizes that He would not say it if it were not true.

So if He says that asking in His name is His plan so that we can be perfectly happy, then that must be what He means. If things do not go just the way we plan, it seems to me that we will do well to sit at the happy bus stop until our bus comes by. That song that says, “Don’t worry, be happy,” is more than a good idea; it is a possibility!

There most certainly is a place of complete joy in Jesus. Our joy produces good fruit and that is what honors God. If we cannot be happy with our circumstances, we can certainly be happy with God. No wonder He tells us to draw near to Him in much the same way that we would call an injured child to our side to help make it all better. Try to imagine God calling out to you to come so He can make you completely happy. How can you resist such a thought? It makes me smile just thinking about it. We can be completely happy just like Jesus.