Is Christianity about being 'happy'?

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Taken

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Is Christianity about being 'happy'?
^ OP

.
 

Ronald Nolette

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This is true!

And this is one of those things which tell me that the negative emotions are, at least for the most post, products of fleshy life. Feelings of the body.

Having clinical depression/anxiety disorder I feel I have a real window into all that. I see how feelings are generated based sometimes on thoughts, and sometimes not. Drugs affect mood, mood is based on chemistry, a body thing. Much begins in the thoughts, but then there is much that doesn't. Fear, for instance, can have an external trigger, an internal trigger, and either can be appropriate or inappropriate, and the feelings of fear can manifest in the body from certain chemical interactions in the body.

I know that the New Creation trusts God, as the Holy Spirit yields faithfulness in my life. So those thoughts that are in trust in God, these are me, and those which are not, those are the flesh. The flesh thoughts are aften that conflicting negative emotion I can feel at the same time I'm feeling joyful.

Yes, I agree, very much so, we can feel both at the same time. I think what I'm trying to say is that the negative emotions, for the most part, don't really have a place in us anymore, and we can discard them as fleshy, and embrace the joy, and know only His joy.

Much love!

Just remember we still live in bodies of sin and death and "things" affect our emotions. every 28 days many women are very unhappy because of a physical issue. they can still be joyful though miserable. that sounds like a contradiction of terms but is not.

If I spend a sleepless night, the next day I will struggle with negative emotions all day because of fatigue, but can still radiate the Joy of the Lord.

So many of our psychological disorders are in reality based on wrong thinking which produces a physical effect in the body. Like unresolved anger leads to bitterness which can lead to colitis, ulcers, high blood pressure for example.
 
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jessiblue

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Hi @jessiblue I like Isaiah 48.10: "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction". Not that we want the affliction, but that it's a great blessing to know we are chosen and that the Lord is with us...

Amen, farouk! It makes life worthwhile and purposeful. We have a destiny!
Job 23:10-11
10 But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.


-jb
 
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marks

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Just remember we still live in bodies of sin and death and "things" affect our emotions. every 28 days many women are very unhappy because of a physical issue. they can still be joyful though miserable. that sounds like a contradiction of terms but is not.

If I spend a sleepless night, the next day I will struggle with negative emotions all day because of fatigue, but can still radiate the Joy of the Lord.

So many of our psychological disorders are in reality based on wrong thinking which produces a physical effect in the body. Like unresolved anger leads to bitterness which can lead to colitis, ulcers, high blood pressure for example.

Oh, I most certainly do remember! I have plenty wrong, and including some strong mood disorders. I live in the contradiction. But that's not accurate, I live in the Spirit, and the Spirit has no disorders.

It's through working with these physiological disorders that I've been able to learn how to apply "put on" and "put off" discipleship.

Much love!
 

marks

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Go without sleep for 3 days and see if happiness and joy are the same- you will learn they are not! Joy comes from knowing God- happiness is when things go along with your worldview in an area!

I spent 8 days in th ehospital for my heart. I was not happy! I couldn't sleep, I was poked,prodded, jabbed countless times, I am a walking black and blue mark, and the food was lousy! I had pain and discomfort but I had Joy nonetheless.

As I said, Joy and happiness may look the same, but come from far different sources.
By trusting Jesus, I've known joy and peace and love and gratitude while enduring severe pain for days and weeks, fortunately not for sometime! The pain isn't always an easy thing to endure, but by trust in Jesus, it can be endured, and joyfully.

We can have both joy and distress at the same time. But I find my desire is to bring that distress into the joy, and trusting Jesus does that.

Much love!
 

Ferris Bueller

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happiness is when things go along with your worldview in an area!
You will never know happiness, then, if this is what you think. I can see why you said what you said about happiness. It caught my attention because most Christians have your pessimistic view about it, too.
 

Ferris Bueller

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I agree that happiness is not a bad thing for Christians to have. Its about contentment and being grateful for what you have. God enjoys blessing His children with good things.

Having a grateful heart and contentedness..."godliness with contentment is great gain" are things that can genuinely make you happy.
@Ronald Nolette ↑↑↑
 

WillTell

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What are some of your thoughts about this?

As a collection an whole of Christianity; there is some movements that just revolve around that of being in a state of 'happiness'. Is that truly what the bible indicates, that the use of the name Jesus is a name, claim it and grab it type of agenda or is there something else more to the faith itself?

Is there any part of suffering that is involved as a Christian? Especially being hated for the name of Christ Himself?

What are some of your thoughts, are their scriptures you can provide along the way to prove your position or point?

Is Christianity about being 'happy'?
Hi, MatthewG…. I confess that I haven’t read this entire thread… yet. So forgive me if I am just repeating what others have said.

To me, being a Christian is all about being blessed far above anything I have ever hoped for or deserved. How can I not be totally delighted in having a relationship with my Savior? How can I not want others to experience a similar untroubled existence in this very troubled world?

Will I ever suffer? Oh, yes. Tribulation is promised. Will I ever feel pain? Yes. Even Jesus did—far greater than mine will ever be. Will responsibility weigh me down at times? Yes, but Jesus has promised to ease my burdens and carry my load. Might people hate me or make fun of me for my belief? Most certainly. But the Holy Spirit will comfort me.

I truly believe that Christians were never meant to go around with gloomy faces and dispositions because of pain or suffering or injustice. We are actually supposed to light up the darkness in this world with the hope we have been given. We can actually draw people to the Lord by handling hardships with patience, endurance, faith, and trust.

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad” (Psalm 126:3). Yes, we are a happy people.
 

Truman

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@Addy Although 'blessed' in Psalm 1 could be translated 'happy', yet the package of life as a whole under God's sovereignty must indeed be embraced; Isaiah 40.10 even says: 'I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction'.
Isaiah 40:10 Thanks for reminding me, Farouk!!! Lol
 
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farouk

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Amen, farouk! It makes life worthwhile and purposeful. We have a destiny!
Job 23:10-11
10 But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.


-jb
@jessiblue Job 13.15 is a great verse also! :)

Job-13-15-KJV-bible-verse-wallpaper-I18013015-L02.jpg
scripture-images dot com
 
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MatthewG

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Hi, MatthewG…. I confess that I haven’t read this entire thread… yet. So forgive me if I am just repeating what others have said.

To me, being a Christian is all about being blessed far above anything I have ever hoped for or deserved. How can I not be totally delighted in having a relationship with my Savior? How can I not want others to experience a similar untroubled existence in this very troubled world?

Will I ever suffer? Oh, yes. Tribulation is promised. Will I ever feel pain? Yes. Even Jesus did—far greater than mine will ever be. Will responsibility weigh me down at times? Yes, but Jesus has promised to ease my burdens and carry my load. Might people hate me or make fun of me for my belief? Most certainly. But the Holy Spirit will comfort me.

I truly believe that Christians were never meant to go around with gloomy faces and dispositions because of pain or suffering or injustice. We are actually supposed to light up the darkness in this world with the hope we have been given. We can actually draw people to the Lord by handling hardships with patience, endurance, faith, and trust.

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad” (Psalm 126:3). Yes, we are a happy people.

Hello WillTell,

First would like to present to you that I have not been to any - Denominational church in some time... years now. Have done my own studying of the bible and learned many things from doing so.

You share some interesting thoughts. But that doesn't make sense to me... Not in the sense of depressingly sad but suffering is part of the Christian walk. Do not know why this doesn't get taught much, and probably does not get taught much in Churches either way it goes.

People can use scripture for their hope and find encouragement; but not see what the suffering is seems as though they may be blind to what it means to know what suffering with Christ really means.

These are just some my thoughts because of what the bible itself explains to what suffering is and believe that it can be found in Matthew 5:1-10. There is also the rejoicing in your sufferings; yes in the eternal hope. Though in this flesh it can be very difficult to bear.
 

MatthewG

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The suffering is not about us ourselves.

It is about suffering for Christ; we all know we are going to die, we have aches, we have pains, and our body is decaying and going to the grave.


Suffering for Christ; do you know what that means?

Not suffering because you are decaying; but suffering for Christ.
 

amigo de christo

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I rejoice in my sufferings! Hallelujah!
Put those hands up and let the LORD be praised . TO HE WE OWE ALL . THE SAVOIR OF OUR SOUL , THE GLORIOUS LORD JESUS CHRIST .
Let all praise the glorious Lord . And be prepared to suffer the loss of all things and do count them but dung to WIN JESUS .
SING to the LORD my friend . Just sing to the glorious King .
 

Truman

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I wish I could "like" this post 100 times.... I am with you on this.... in all things GIVE THANKS.... for all things... be grateful... Embrace sorrow and suffering when they arrive... for they come to teach us something and to strengthen us. Life is about seasons... and every season is important.
Give God the glory!
 

Truman

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The suffering is not about us ourselves.

It is about suffering for Christ; we all know we are going to die, we have aches, we have pains, and our body is decaying and going to the grave.


Suffering for Christ; do you know what that means?

Not suffering because you are decaying; but suffering for Christ.
Yes, I do; do you?
 

Truman

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There is a difference between suffering for Christ and God allowing and using suffering for His purposes.
 

MatthewG

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@Truman the Levite would you share what it means to suffer for Christ then please?

Saying something on the internet doesn’t always make it true for a person. Though do love the truth about learning and having understanding. Interestingly enough if a person is honest with themselves in an understanding of the biblical text can say that there is nothing good that comes from themselves: save only the things that comes the spirit of Christ with-in them as a believer in the Son of God.
 

MatthewG

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From my own understanding suffering comes from denying ourselves.

When a problem comes up with another person and we endure whatever it is; save it be a coworker who you do not particularly like because of their behavior but you still allow Christ through that you may have love for them.

That is just one example.

Let’s say someone talks bad about you behind your back and someone brings it up to you; or the person is saying those things in front of your; or on the phone; and you by the spirit of Christ do no retaliate in your flesh. You don’t even harp on it; you just say you’ll hope they will change and that you desire to love them and hope well for them, by the spirit.

Those are forms of suffering to self with Christ in you by His power and not our own.

@Truman the Levite are there other things you could think of?
 
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