“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” – Abraham Lincoln
Do you know someone who seems bent on being unhappy? It doesn’t make sense that a person would not want to be happy. But it happens.
Some people believe they don’t deserve to be happy. Maybe they did something that hurt someone else. They regret what they did, and, unable to the right the wrong, they punish themselves by being miserable. You’ll hear them say something like, “I can never forgive myself.” Or “I believe God forgave me, but I just can’t forgive myself.
They mean well. It seems noble and sacrificial, but it’s not beneficial to anyone. Moreover, it’s ungodly. Yes, ungodly. Think about it. It’s like this person disagrees with God’s decision.
That attitude reeks of self-righteousness and pride. The saddest part of it is it can never heal what plagues us. So the misery never end.
It’s like getting a pardon from a judge and say in return; “I’m good, I’ll just spend the rest of my life in prison anyway!” That’s CRAZY.
While we can make material restitution for certain things, for instance, repay the stolen money, some other things are like water poured into the ground. It’ impossible to retrieve it. We must allow God to restore the soul.
God wants us to be happy, regardless of our circumstances, our sins, or mistakes.
And He’s made it possible.
I believe the person who best illustrates this is the Apostle Paul. If anyone had a reason not to forgive his self, it would be Paul.
In the early days of Christianity, Saul (Paul’s name before his conversion) persecuted Christians with almost unstoppable zeal. (Philippians 3:6). It took an encounter with Jesus to stop him (Acts 9:1-6).
After his conversion, Paul said, “Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].” Romans 8:1.
He knew God forgives our sins and does not remember them.
Since Paul could do nothing to restore the lives he had ruined, the best thing to do was to accept God’s forgiveness. He also repented, turned away from, and stopped the sin. He forgave himself, and no one could make him feel guilty or condemn him.
My favorite quote by the Apostle concerning happiness is this:
“I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews.” Acts 26:2.
He knew his happiness depended on his thoughts. His joy had nothing to do with anyone else or anything else. He determined that he would decide his emotional state, even in the presence of accusers. Not only did he think for himself, but spoke for himself.
Paul went into court confident because his past was behind him. He had forgiven himself for what he’d done in the past. He faced his accusers without feelings of guilt, shame, or condemnation.
He was free and healthy in his mind, making him bold as well as unstoppable to serve God in a significant way.
The Apostle was happy to go to court before the king. He was not crazy. What an opportunity to minister the Gospel to those in the highest government, including the king!
He offered no defense for himself. He gave his conversion testimony, and preached the Gospel to them, in court! King Agrippa said he was almost convinced to become a Christian as a result of Paul’s preaching.
Do you “think yourself happy?”
or
are you locked in a prison of misery?
You can change that today!
Accept God’s forgiveness.
Repent.
Live with bold confidence, serving God in amazing ways.
Think happy thoughts!
Go ahead, say it.
“I think happy thoughts.”
