The true Christian is happy, because he is “in his right
position.” All the powers of his being are directed to right
ends. His affections are not set on things here on earth, but on
things in heaven; his will is not bent on self-indulgence, but is
submissive to the will of God; his mind is not absorbed in
wretched perishable insignificant things. He desires useful
employment: he enjoys the luxury of doing good. Who does not
know the misery of disorder? The heart of an unconverted man is
like a house that is a mess. Grace puts everything in that heart
in its right position. The things of the soul come first, and
the things of the world come second. Anarchy and confusion
cease: unruly passions no longer do what seems right in their own
eyes. Christ reigns over the whole man, and each part of him
does his proper work. The new heart is the only real happy
heart, for it is the only heart that is in order. The true
Christian has found out his place. He has laid aside his pride
and self-will; he sits at the feet of Jesus, and is in his right
mind: he loves God and loves man, and so he is happy. In heaven
all are happy because all do God’s will perfectly. The nearer a
man gets to this standard the happier he will be.
The plain truth is that without Christ there is no happiness in
the world. He alone can give the Comforter who abides forever.
He is the sun; without Him men never feel warm. He is the
light; without Him men are always in the dark. He is the bread;
without Him men are always starving. He is the living water;
without Him men are always thirsty. Give them what you like–
place them where you please–surround them with all the comforts
you can imagine–it makes no difference. Separate from Christ,
the Prince of Peace, a man cannot be happy.
Give a man a sensible interest in Christ, and he will be happy
“in spite of poverty.” He will tell you that he wants nothing
that is really good. He is provided for: he has riches in
possession, and riches in restoration; he has meat to eat that
the world does not know of; he has friends who never leave him or
forsake him. The Father and the Son come to him, and make their
home with him: the Lord Jesus Christ has supper with him, and he
with Christ (Revelation 3:20).
Give a man a sensible interest in Christ, and he will be happy
“in spite of sickness.” His flesh may groan, and his body be
worn out with pain, but his heart will rest and be at peace. One
of the happiest people I ever saw was a young woman who had been
hopelessly ill for many years with disease of the spine. She lay
in a attic without the warmth of a fire; the roof was less than
two feet above her face. She did not have the slightest hope of
recovery. But she was always rejoicing in the Lord Jesus. The
spirit triumphed mightily over the flesh. She was happy, because
Christ was with her.
Give a man a sensible interest in Christ, and he will be happy
“in spite of abounding public calamities.” The government of his
country may be thrown into confusion, rebellion and disorder may
turn everything upside down, laws may be trampled underfoot;
justice and equity may be outraged; liberty may be cast down to
the ground; might may prevail over right: but still his heart
will not fail. He will remember that the kingdom of Christ will
one day be set up. He will say, like the old minister who lived
throughout the turmoil of the French revolution: “It is all
right: it will be well with the righteous.”
I know well that Satan hates the doctrine which I am endeavoring
to press upon you. I have no doubt he is filling your mind with
objections and reasonings, and persuading you that I am wrong. I
am not afraid to meet these objections face to face. Let us
bring them forward and see what they are.
You may tell me that “you know many very religious people who are
not happy at all.” You see them diligent in attending public
worship. You know that they are never missing at the Lord’s
Supper. But you see in them no marks of the peace which I have
been describing.
But are you sure that these people you speak of are true
believers in Christ? Are you sure that, with all their
appearance of religion, they are born again and converted to God?
Isn’t very likely that they have nothing but the name of
Christianity, without the reality; and a form of godliness,
without the power? Yes! you have yet to learn that people may do
many religious acts, and yet possess no saving religion! It is
not a mere formal, ceremonial Christianity that will ever make
people happy. We want something more than going to Church, and
going to the Lord’s Table, to give us peace. There must be a
real, vital union with Christ. It is not the formal Christian,
but the true Christian, that is the happy man.
You may tell me that “you know really spiritually-minded and
converted people who do not seem happy.” You have heard them
frequently complaining of their own hearts, and groaning over
their own weaknesses. They seem to you all doubts, and
anxieties, and fears; and you want to know where is the happiness
in these people of which I have been saying so much.
I do not deny that there are many saints of God such as these
whom you describe, and I am sorry for it. I allow that there are
many believers who live far below their privileges, and seem to
know nothing of the joy and peace in believing. But did you ever
ask any of these people whether they would give up their
Christianity, and go back to the world? Did you ever ask them,
after all their groanings, and doubtings, and fearings, whether
they think they would be happier if they ceased to follow after
Christ? “Did you ever ask those questions?” I am certain if you
did, that the weakest and lowest believers would all give you one
answer. I am certain they would tell you that they would rather
cling to their little scrap of Hope in Christ, than possess the
world. I am sure they would all answer, “Our faith is weak, if
we have any; our grace is small, if we have any; our joy in
Christ is next to nothing at all: but we cannot give up what we
have got. Though the Lord slay us, we must cling to Him.” The
root of happiness lies deep in many a poor weak believer’s heart,
when neither leaves nor blossoms are to be seen!
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
