Something would be terribly wrong if we weren’t grieving for this world and those who suffer. But is it okay to be happy when we live in a world of hurt? And beyond that, is it actually God’s calling? Those questions motivated me to go deeper into Scripture and to see what people through the ages have said about happiness, especially the Puritans. 

Suppose you and a friend entered a store and your friend was awarded $100,000 for being the store’s 100,000th customer. Would you be hounded by the wish that it had been you instead? Would you expect your friend to split it with you since you held the door open and otherwise would have won? Or would you have simply rejoiced for her?

My son-in-law Dan Stump, married to my youngest daughter Angela, recently preached a great sermon on this passage in Jeremiah 2. I was there when he preached it and went back to listen to it again because it really spoke to me.

God has written his law on our hearts (see Romans 2:15). There’s compelling evidence he’s also written on our hearts a powerful desire for happiness. In fact, this has been the consensus of theologians throughout church history. 

We do have sorrow. This world is full of things that make God sad, but He simultaneously has a happiness that is based in and flows out of Himself. So I think we need to not look at sorrow and happiness as opposites that cannot co-exist. They can and do co-exist.

I googled “define joy,” and the first result was this dictionary definition: “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” This definition harmonizes with other dictionaries and ordinary conversations, yet it contradicts countless Christian books and sermons. The church’s misguided distinction between joy and happiness has twisted the words.

In June 2016, Randy Alcorn was a guest on Susie Larson's Radio Podcast Live the Promise, speaking on the subject of Happiness. In this clip, he talks about the importance of our words and how they connect to our happiness.

In June 2016, Randy Alcorn was a guest on Susie Larson's Radio Podcast Live the Promise, speaking on the subject of Happiness. In this clip, he talks about how love, peace, loyalty and trust can be misused and self-centered.

In June 2016, Randy Alcorn was a guest on Susie Larson's Radio Podcast Live the Promise, speaking on the subject of Happiness. In this clip, he talks about God being a happy God and how we get our happiness and desire to by happy from Him.