Do you really want to be happy? Then follow Solomon’s proverbs on How To Be Happy. To be happy:
Find Wisdom – Prov 3:13. “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom”. And, Prov 3:18. “Happy is everyone that retaineth her”.
Wisdom is something that you can begin to find at an early age. Jesus had enough wisdom at age 12 that he amazed and astonished all that heard him speaking in the temple. Yet, he didn’t stop with what he had learned in his youth. He went back to Nazareth with Joseph and his mother and “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God”, Lk 2:52.
You have to search for wisdom. When you do, you will find her. And as long as you keep searching, you will keep learning. You will never have it all. In other words, you can continue to increase in wisdom throughout your entire life. The result of your pursuit is that you will be happy throughout your life.
Accumulating wisdom doesn’t mean that you won’t have heartache and sorrow in your life. Jesus was wiser than any other man. Yet, he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. That’s because he was “touched with the feeling of our infirmities”, Heb 4:15. Wisdom therefore directs us to him to find grace, mercy, peace, and comfort in our trials.
There is a caveat. Solomon, who was wiser than any man in his time, and who said, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom”, also wrote, “For in much wisdom is much grief”, Ecc 1:18. Yet, he also wrote, “Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding”, Prov 4:7. He is contrasting two kinds of wisdom in what he wrote.
There is earthly wisdom, “under the sun” in Ecclesiastes. And there is divine wisdom in Proverbs. Don’t fill your head with earthly wisdom; fill your heart with godly wisdom from above. With this wisdom you will be happy.
Have Mercy on the Poor – Prov 14:21. “”But he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he”.
There are at least two reasons why this is so. The first is that people find joy in helping others “less fortunate than themselves”. If this weren’t so, you wouldn’t see the numerous charitable organizations and out pouring of help during disasters as you do.
The second is that “the merciful man doeth good to his own soul”, Prov 11:17. You receive in kind for the mercy you extend. Prov 19:17 says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again”. You get twice the blessing. The joy of giving, as in 2 Cor 8:1-4, and the happiness you feel when God repays your mercy.
There are all kinds of poor people upon whom we should show mercy. Orphans, missions, people around you. Most of the people whom the Sehmish’s have led to Jesus were/are poor. But look now.
Trust in the Lord – Prov 16:20. “And whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he”.
I have tried being happy by attempting to fulfill my lusts, achieve my goals and desires, accomplish my ambitions, and experience every pleasure. The end result was despondency, dissatisfaction, distrust, deceit, and heartache.
When I began to trust the Lord, things changed. In time, I had to trust that the Lord would truly give me happiness. And he has. And he will do the same for you, guaranteed. He said so and he never ever goes back on his word. He would say, “Trust me for your happiness”.
Fear God – Prov 28:14. “Happy is the man that feareth alway”. We know, after several sermons and lessons on the fear of God, what this fear is. God knows those who fear him. Of those who fear the Lord, Ps 115:12 says, “The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us”. And v.13 says, “He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great”.
When the Lord knows that you fear him, he is mindful of you. Imagine this, the God of the universe, the Almighty God, is paying attention to you. He knows what’s going on in your life. And he blesses you, no matter whether you are “small” or “great”. If you think about it, and if you have experienced his blessings, what in the world could make you happier than this.
God provides lasting happiness. Happy now and happy in eternity.
Keep the Law – Prov 29:18. “But he that keepeth the law, happy is he”.
Our rebellious nature doesn’t believe this. How could doing what you’re told to do make you happy? Our nature says happiness is in mischief. We envy sinners who revel and tell of their revelry. But reality shows us that the end of their revelry is destruction and “the expectation of the wicked shall perish”, Prov 10:28.
Do what God says. The law is our school master that brings us to Christ. And when you are in Christ, you have the fruit of the Spirit. There is no way on earth that earthly pleasure can give you happiness that even comes close to matching the joy of the Spirit and the unspeakable joy of Christ, 1 Pet 1:8