God wants His people to be blessed and to enjoy life.

But real happiness comes from obeying Christ and living His abundant life. Understanding what genuine happiness means according to Scripture is essential for every Christian.

Pharrell Williams opened his Happy song by saying, “It might seem crazy what I’m about to say.” President Lincoln once said, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their mind to be.” But I say, “Choose It or Lose It,” as the Spirit insists we think biblically about happiness.

What is Biblical Happiness?

Biblical happiness is not just about feeling good – it’s a self-contained state of satisfaction in Christ that isn’t dependent on external circumstances. It points to being blessed by God and living in His favor, regardless of what’s happening around us.

How Can Christians Choose to Live in this Blessed State?

There are five key guardrails (principles) that help Christians maintain a blessed state of happiness:

1. Walk in FAITH as you pursue God’s blessings.

Right decisions begin with asking God for wisdom. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom.” Take the time to ask God when you don’t know what to do.

James 1:5 promises us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally… and it will be given to him.” God’s voice of wisdom comes by His Word, and His people can be conduits.

Faith-based decision-making requires daily Scripture intake. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Your habits in His Word will determine the quality of your life choices. The first word that goes into your heart each day should be God’s Word. The last word that goes into your heart each day should be God’s Word. First word; last word; God’s Word!

2. Successful obedience requires FOCUS.

Joshua tried to get God’s people to focus on the goal of serving Him in every facet of their lives. That’s how we want to focus on serving Jesus. But it requires that we learn to avoid the distractions of life.

Elijah asked, “How long will you waver between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21). When faced with choices, which one will help you FOCUS on serving God? All Christians are called to live and work as unto the Lord (see Col. 3:17, 23). Any choice that takes you farther away from that focus is wrong. The daily obedience that brings happiness requires focus.

3. You need the right FELLOWSHIP of people.

The best decisions are not made in isolation. You need the wisdom of emotionally mature people who can help you make better choices. If you don’t have anyone like this, it’s time to make better friends. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” That sounds good.

But a genuine friend won’t always tell you what you want to hear. Proverbs 27:17 teaches us, “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” I’ve used iron to sharpen iron before, and let me tell you, sparks fly. Weak-minded, soft people who only affirm you won’t help you grow. But when you have important choices, you need the fellowship of your iron-sharpening friends.

4. FORESIGHT will keep your hindsight regret-free.

Joshua’s choice involved foresight for future generations: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” He understood the long-range effect of choices made with foresight or pre-decision.

Foresight keeps us from making emotionally powered decisions. Never make important decisions when you’re emotionally high or low. Be patient. Get your moods under the Holy Spirit’s control. Then, you’ll have better foresight to make the right choice.

5. Godly decision-making insists upon FAITHFULNESS.

When considering an important choice, consider the cost. The saying “don’t start what you can’t stop“ is good advice for cars and choices. But most importantly, will what you’re considering cause you to be more or less faithful to God? Followers of Christ must “be found faithful” (see 1 Cor. 4:2). Faithfulness to God means wisely exercising your freedom of choice with responsibility and accountability.

Why do people sometimes struggle with happiness?

It’s because they follow their hearts instead of God’s wisdom. They often make decisions without proper counsel, get distracted by worldly influences, and fail to maintain the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible reading. Lastly, when people isolate themselves from the Christian fellowship of their church family, they become easy prey for Satan’s devices.

Life Application

This week, evaluate your decision-making process using these questions.

Am I making choices based on faith in God’s Word or my emotions? What distractions are keeping me from focusing on God? Who are the wise people in my life I can turn to? Have I made pre-decisions about following God in challenging situations? How can I be more faithful in my daily walk with Christ?

Challenge: Choose one of these five areas where you need to realign with God’s principles and make a specific plan to change.

You can choose to obey God’s principles or lose real happiness.