How to Be Happy in Life
- Jack Selcher
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Summary
Biblical delight is deeper than temporary happiness. Scripture teaches that true delight is rooted in God, obedience, wisdom, righteousness, mercy, and loving relationships. False delight pursues pleasure, sin, pride, and idolatry, but godly delight flows from fearing the Lord, treasuring His Word, trusting His salvation, and sharing His love with others.
Don’t settle for happiness when you can have delight. Many people are obsessed with how to be happy in life, as a bloodhound follows a scent. Nothing else matters. Thoughts about how to obtain it vary widely. The Dalai Lama said, “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.1 Joseph Addison believed that happiness arises from enjoying oneself.2 Albert Camus said, "To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others.” 3 The Bible doesn’t endorse any of their conclusions.
Biblical Delight Is More Than How to Be Happy in Life
Delight is to happiness what becoming independently wealthy is to earning a first dollar. Biblical delight is more than a happiness jolt that energizes like coffee in the morning or love at first sight (Genesis 34:19).
Superficial Delight Cannot Satisfy.
Some delight brands are superficial. Solomon delighted in wealth, entertainment, and women galore (Ecclesiastes 2:8), his pleasure and labor (Ecclesiastes 2:10), but found them meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1:14). Superficial delight is the enemy of the real thing, like fulfilling our dreams competing with God’s purpose for our lives.
Relationship-Based Delight Is Highest
Relationship-based delight is the highest form. People naturally delight in their children (Micah 1:16). Mary delighted in Jesus (Luke 1:14).
Solomon used “delight” to describe his relationship with his beloved (Song of Songs 4:10), and she did the same (Song of Songs 2:3), suggesting that love for others and God, and their love for us, is the fountain of delight.
Biblical Delight Runs on Obedience
The promised Messiah will delight in the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:3). Because of it, He did the Father’s will on earth, not His own (John 6:38).
The Lord prospered Israel when He delighted in them (Deuteronomy 30:9), but that prosperity was conditional on their obedience. He delights in obedience far more than in burnt offerings and sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22). Human obedience demonstrates love for God (John 14:15).
David Shows Delight Through Obedience
God delighted in David because he was a man after His heart, as demonstrated by his obedience (Acts 13:22). God rescued David because He delighted in Him (2 Samuel 22:20, Psalm 18:19) and placed him on Israel’s throne for the same reason and also because He loved Israel (1 Kings 10:9).
Repentance Restores Acceptable Worship
God does not delight in the sacrifices of those with unconfessed sins (Psalm 51:16), but in the sacrifices of the righteous (Psalm 51:19) who, like David, have repented.
God is not delighted in religious rituals divorced from His will and ways (Leviticus 26:31). Although the Lord loved Israel and Judah, they were exiled because of their disobedience.
What Delights God
God answers the prayers of those who delight in revering His name (Nehemiah 1:11), noble people whose lives are set apart to His purposes (Psalm 16:3).
He directs godly people and delights in every detail of their lives (Psalm 37:23). He delivers those in whom He delights in His time (Psalm 22:8) and delights in the well-being of His servants (Psalm 35:27).
God Delights in Humble and Trustworthy People
The Lord delights in humble people (Psalm 149:4) who fear Him and hope in His unfailing love (Psalm 147:11), who live righteously (Proverbs 11:20) and are trustworthy (Proverbs 12:22).
God disciplines those He loves, and in whom He delights (Proverbs 3:12). As disciplined children delight their parents (Proverbs 29:17), disciplined believers delight God.
Evil People Delight in Wrong Things
Love delights in the truth, not in evil (1 Corinthians 13:6). Some people delight in all the wrong things, for example, in lies. Their mouths bless while their hearts curse (Psalm 62:4). Some nations delight in war (Psalm 68:30).
Sinful Delight Distorts the Heart
Mockers delight in mockery, and fools in their lack of knowledge, simple ways (Proverbs 1:22), airing their opinions (Proverbs 18:2), wicked schemes (2 Thessalonians 2:12), and doing what is morally wrong (Proverbs 2:14).
Those with good sense delight in wisdom (Proverbs 10:23), causing kings (and employers) to delight in them (Proverbs 14:35). Israel and Judah delighted in false worship and idolatry associated with sacred oaks (Isaiah 1:29).
Biblical Delight Is God-Centered
Eliphaz told Job he could find delight in the Almighty (Job 22:26) by returning to God and turning away from wickedness. Job insisted that he was innocent and that only the godly can find delight in the Almighty (Job 27:10).
God’s Word Becomes the Believer’s Delight
The psalmist wrote that God blesses those who delight in His instructions for living (Psalm 112:1, Psalm 119:16, Psalm 119:24, Psalm 119:35, etc.) and meditate on them continually (Psalm 1:2). David rejoiced in the Lord and delighted in His salvation from the snares of his enemies (Psalm 35:9).
God Fulfills God-Centered Desires
Those who take refuge in the Lord feast on the abundance of His house and drink from His rivers of delight (Psalm 36:8). God fulfills the heart's desires of those who delight in Him because His desires have become theirs (Psalm 37:4).
He is the joy and delight of those who put their hope in Him (Psalm 43:4). Pondering His great works delights them (Psalm 111:2) far more than reflecting on their own.
God Delights in Justice and Mercy
God delighted in Israel and Judah, but they disappointed Him with their bloodshed instead of justice and righteousness (Isaiah 5:7). He delighted in the Messiah who would bring justice to the nations (Isaiah 42:1, Matthew 12:18).
Earthly delights, doing what we please, and independent living are no substitutes for the delights of God’s mercy, promises, fellowship, salvation, and righteousness (Isaiah 55:2, Isaiah 58:13, Isaiah 61:10).
True Worship Submits to God
Religious rituals don’t please God when our hearts are unrepentant, proud, and disobedient. True worshippers tremble at His word and submit to him (Isaiah 66:3).
God delights in showing mercy (Micah 7:18). He loves, values, and delights in His people (Zephaniah 3:17).
Delight Springs from Healthy Relationships
Paul delighted in God’s law (Romans 7:22), life’s adversities because God’s strength was most apparent then (2 Corinthians 12:10), in the discipline and firm faith of the Colossian believers (Colossians 2:5), in the Corinthians refreshing Titus’s spirit (2 Corinthians 7:13), and in sharing the gospel and his life with the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 2:8). Delight springs from healthy relationships with God and others.
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
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