Does the bible give guidance on how one can achieve happiness?

Question

In the mortal life, what advice does the bible give on how an individual can achieve happiness?

Answer 1

Christianity teaches truths, habits of heart and action that can promote happiness. However, unlike some systems of thought, the pursuit of happiness within Christianity is a paradox.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:39, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (ESV)

In his sermon on the Mount, Jesus set before us this conundrum. There is a life goal we can set for ourselves which will lead to happiness, but happiness is not that goal!

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:25-33 ESV)

So seeking the kingdom of God and God's righteousness as our first priority will enable us to also enjoy secondary benefits, which free us from anxiety and lead to peace. That path is the way of the cross, which entails serving our neighbor. The Book of Philippians uses the words joy, joyful, and rejoice fourteen times. It sets Jesus as the example of self-sacrifice and Paul as his imitator and promises joy. Of all the prophets and apostles, Paul uses the word peace most. His letters are a good guide.

• 1 Corinthians defines love
• 2 Corinthians speaks of the "God of all comfort".
• Philippians speaks of joy
• Hebrews speaks of faith

The Old Testament offers additional help.

• Job gives advice on how to learn from and overcome suffering and to mourn in a healthy way, as well as outlining a noble ethical system
• Proverbs steers you away from bad decisions and habits that will destroy happiness
• Psalms helps you with your emotional life
• Song of Songs models a healthy romantic relationship
• Ecclesiastes (especially the third chapter) plots out the path to a peaceful life through 28 steps or "times"

What I especially learned from Ecclesiastes is that the simplistic, reductionist path to a peaceful life that so many writers and thinkers market to us constantly is doomed to fail. The path is as complex as the problems that must be overcome along the way. The Bible does not shirk back from giving a full picture of the path. The vital piece is that we do not walk that path alone. The most important truth is that Jesus walks along side us as a good shepherd and the Holy Spirit dwells within us as a wise counselor. As for the Father, he miraculously removes obstacles and provides material assistance at just the right time.

Among the happenings in life that give us the greatest happiness is reaping a harvest, whether material, familial (like our kids marrying or graduating college), or spiritual (overcoming a bad habit, or depression, or anxiety). In Matthew, Jesus is shown to be "Lord of the Harvest", the one who enables us to thrive and accomplish great things. Thus the gospels are a great place to learn how to be productive, not just for yourself but so that you can enrich others.

Answer 2

Q: In the mortal life, what advice does the bible give on how an individual can achieve happiness?

In short: be Spirit-filled.

Ephesians 5:18-21 (ESV)

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Acts 13:52 (ESV)

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 14:17 (ESV)

17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

John 7:37-39 (ESV):

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Answer 3

Many individuals seem obsessed by the pursuit of happiness and the more they focus on themselves and on their own happiness, the more elusive this desired happiness becomes. According to the Bible, real and lasting happiness comes from pleasing God, whereas trying to please self is transitory and an illusion. As the writer of Ecclesiastes acknowledged, it is meaningless and nothing but vanity.

To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God (Ecclesiastes 2:26).

There is nothing wrong in being happy and in finding satisfaction with ones’ lot. Where discontent arises it is because people don’t give thanks to God for what they have – they always want more.

Then I realised that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labour under the sun during the few days of life God has given him – for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20).

Here is the biblical key to genuine and lasting happiness:

May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful (Psalm 68:3).

It is always appropriate to give thanks to the giver of all good gifts:

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise (James 5:13).

True happiness comes from serving God and others. God first, others second and self last.

Answer 4

Happiness is mentioned many times, especially in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Greek scriptures talk much more about joy). Here are a few examples:

• Genesis 30:13 — Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” …
• Deuteronomy 24:5 — “When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.
• 2 Chronicles 9:7 — “Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
• Job 5:17 — “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects …
• Psalm 128:2 — When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
• Proverbs 3:13 — Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
• Proverbs 14:21 — He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
• Proverbs 16:20 — He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.
• Proverbs 29:18 — Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.
• Romans 14:22 — Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

Notice the one thing they all have in common: happiness isn't something to be achieved; it is the natural consequence of some other event.

Trying to achieve happiness as a goal is like trying to be a movie star by dreaming about red-carpet walks, award ceremonies, etc., and ignoring the reality of memorizing scripts, getting up at 5 a.m. for several hours of makeup, putting up with demanding directors, etc.