Happy Here

God wants to give us happiness. I recently read that “if you’re not happy here, you won’t be happy there”. This is a truth that I have known intellectually for a long time, but only now is it sinking into my heart in a way that I can truly understand. I’ve often wondered: if God wants me happy, why doesn’t He move me to “that place” where I just know I’ll be happy? I’ve long believed that God is waiting on me to move – to obey – before showering certain blessings (be they what I think I want or what He knows I need is TBD) down upon me (Deuteronomy 11:27; 28:1-2, Malachi 3:10). I know He wants me to learn contentment no matter my circumstance (1 Corinthians 7:17-24, Philippians 4:11-12). I’ve struggled with this, viewing it slightly askew. Ok, I know the grass over there is probably not as green as I think it is, but won’t things be easier there? Better? I’d have more time to devote to God, to my husband, to the housework, to my gifts, to having children… I’d be happier!

But no. God is not “withholding happiness” from me "until I learn my lesson". He will give me Happy, but He won’t give it to me “there”, He’ll give it to me “here”! And just like every gift He’s ever given, I have to reach out and take it. Accept it. He’s telling me what I need to do, I just have to do it. Yes, the simplest things are often the hardest. But maybe we make them harder than they should be. So: stop trying to do everything else “first”: stop trying to make the house perfect, to get in shape, to get organized, to finish my book, to have babies, to be a prayer warrior, to have Bible study time “just so”, and on and on. Just BE with Him. Sit down and read, pray, study. If today it’s an hour in deep study of the Psalms and tomorrow it’s five minutes in a devotional, so be it! He is jealous to be with us (Exodus 20:1-6), not our religion. (The most important commandment is to love God, then other people – the rest of the “law” comes after this! (Matthew 22:34-40; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8)). It’s very clear: give God your firstfruits (Proverbs 3:9-10) – this is the first of everything, not just money! We will never be happy, content, satisfied with any other area of our lives, no matter how successful the world would measure us, if we are not first happy in God.