Rick Warren - How to Be Happy No Matter What Happens
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Summary
Rick Warren teaches that true happiness is a choice, not dependent on circumstances, drawing from Paul’s joyful letter to the Philippians written while imprisoned in Rome. He identifies four common «killjoys» of happiness—pain, pressure, people, and problems—and shows how Paul overcame them through four key choices based on Philippians 1. The core conclusion is that lasting happiness comes from remembering God brings good from any situation, refusing to let others control your attitude, trusting God to work things out, and staying focused on the eternal purpose of living for Christ.
Choosing Happiness No Matter What
Now today, if you grab your Bible and download the message notes, I want to look at what God’s Word teaches us about how to be happy no matter what happens. How to be happy no matter what happens. Now, this is a skill that we all need to learn during difficult days. Anytime you want to study what God has to say about happiness, you go to the book of Philippians here in the Bible. It’s the most positive, happy book in God’s Word, in spite of the fact that Paul wrote it while he was a prisoner in a dark Roman prison dungeon and was chained to a 24-hour guard. But Paul knew how to be happy no matter what happens.
Now, one of the key verses is Philippians 1:27. It’s at the top of the message outline that you can download as a listening guide. Philippians 1:27 says this: «Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the good news of Christ.»
The Pity Party Trap
Have you ever held a pity party for yourself? It’s quite easy to throw a pity party. All you have to do is think up a list of everything negative in your life and then think about it over and over and over, and then feel sorry for yourself. Last Tuesday, I gave myself a pity party. It was a good one. First, I thought of the chronic pain that I had been feeling for three weeks that was sapping all my energy. Next, I thought of all the things that I wasn’t getting done and the pressure that I felt from those deadlines because I hadn’t been feeling good.
So, I had pain and pressure. Then I thought of the people who needed my help, and I thought of some other people who were upset with me. And finally, in case that wasn’t enough, I thought of all the problems in the world that we just keep hearing about. So, you got pain, pressure, people, and problems. These are the four most common sources of unhappiness. They’re what I call the killjoys, the common killjoys of life, and I know you’re very familiar with them too. Now today, we’re going to see how Paul handled all four of these killjoys in the first chapter of Philippians.
Happiness Is a Choice
Anyway, I started holding this pity party for myself, and at one point I actually thought the words, «You know, I don’t like any of this, and I’m really, really, really not happy right now.» Have you ever felt that way? Maybe this week too. Well, you know what? I try to live each moment in my life in constant conversation with God throughout my day. The Bible says to pray continually, pray without ceasing, and that means to keep a running ongoing conversation with God in your head.
So, as soon as I thought the idea, «I’m not happy right now, ” I also heard this little question in my mind from the Holy Spirit that said, „Do you want to stay unhappy?“ I immediately answered, „No, no, I don’t want to stay unhappy.“ You see, friends, God says that happiness is a choice. It’s not based on circumstances; it’s based on choices. You must choose happiness.
Now, happiness is not something you look for. That’s what many people mistake. It’s not something you look for. If you look for it, you’re not going to find it. Happiness is something you create. Happiness is something you choose. The truth is, regardless of your circumstances, no matter what’s going on in your life right now, you are as happy as you choose to be. You are as happy as you choose to be. You can’t blame anybody else for your unhappiness. Regardless of the pain, regardless of pressure, regardless of other people, and regardless of problems in your life, you are as happy as you choose to be.
Avoiding When-and-Then Thinking
One of the most common mistakes we make in life is what I call when-and-then thinking. „When I get this, then I’ll be happy.“ When something happens the way I want it to happen, then I’ll be happy. When I get out of school, then I’ll be happy. When I get a man in my life or a woman, then I’ll be happy. When I get a job or a promotion, when I retire, but you could fill it in with a million things. In Paul’s case, it could have been, „When I get out of prison, then I’ll be happy.“
But the truth is this: If you don’t know how to choose happiness right now, in spite of your circumstances, there’s going to be pains and pressures and people and problems to blame for your unhappiness for the rest of your life, and you’re never really going to be happy long term.
Paul’s Difficult Circumstances
Now let me explain the background of today’s text, which is Philippians chapter 1. In the previous four years of Paul’s life, before he wrote this chapter we’re going to look at today, in that last four years, Paul had spent two years in jail in Caesarea on false charges. False charges. Two years in jail. Then, he was shipwrecked while he was sailing to Rome for another trial under Nero, who was the Caesar at that time. Then, in that shipwreck, he was stranded on a desert island for a while and actually got bitten by a poisonous snake.
Finally, when he got to Rome, he was imprisoned again for two years in a deep, dank, dark dungeon with a 24-hour guard chained to him. Paul had every reason to be unhappy, every reason to be bitter, every reason to be resentful or fearful or depressed. He had the right to hold a pity party. But instead, in that dark, dank prison, Paul wrote the most positive book in the Bible, Philippians.
Four Principles for Happiness
Now, in Philippians chapter 1, verses 12 to 30, Paul, who is writing from prison, models four principles for being happy no matter what happens in your life. This is a very practical message. I hope you’ll take notes on this. I want you to see the four choices that Paul made so you can make these same choices too. Again, you are as happy as you choose to be.
All right, so here are the four principles, the four choices. First, I can be happy no matter what happens in my life if I choose to write this down: remember, God can bring good out of anything. That’s the first choice. I choose to remember that God can bring good out of anything.
God Works for Good
Now, of course, Romans 8:28, that famous verse of Scripture in the Bible says this: „We know, ” not „we guess, ” „we know that in all things that happen, ” that’s the good, the bad, and the ugly, „we know that in all things that happen, God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.“
Now, that verse does not say all things that happen are good because they’re not. There’s a lot of bad; there’s a lot of evil in the world. But it says in all things that happen, God works for the good. God works for the good. The good is not what happens; the good is what God does with even the bad in our lives. God can bring good out of bad.
Now we get frustrated and we get unhappy when we don’t see what God sees, when we don’t have His perspective. The truth is, God is working out a plan for your life, and even when all the circumstances, the people, the pressures, the problems, and the pain are not good, God is still working for good in your life.
Seeing God’s Perspective
Now, knowing this truth is, for instance, why King David years earlier was able to say in Psalm 34, verse 1, „I will praise the Lord no matter what happens.“ Can you say that? You see, circle the word „will.“ I will. „Will“ means a decision; „will“ means a choice; „will“ means you had an option. It’s a decision. I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. David made a choice; it was a decision.
Now, how do you do that? How do you consistently make that decision to praise God even in bad circumstances? By learning to look at everything from God’s perspective, not your own. Let me say that again: the way you make this first choice is by learning to look at everything in your life from God’s viewpoint, God’s perspective, not your own. It’s a life skill you’re going to have to learn if you want to be happy no matter what happens in your life.
Now listen closely: you must choose to look at every situation in your life from God’s viewpoint. That’s called wisdom. Happy people have a larger perspective. Happy people see a bigger picture. They look past the pain, the people, the problems, and the pressure, and they see a bigger picture.
Paul’s Example in Prison
What is the bigger picture? Romans 8:28: we know that no matter what happens, God is working for good in our lives. Let me show you Paul’s example of this principle; it’s verse 12 of Philippians chapter 1. Paul says this: „I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything, ” circle that word „everything, ” all that had happened in the past four years that I told you about, „everything that has happened to me has helped to spread the good news.“ That’s a whole different perspective. Rather than a pity party, he’s saying, „God is using this for good.“
Let me explain. You see, Paul had dreamed for many, many years of sharing Christ in the center of the empire. At that time, Rome was the empire; it was the Roman Empire. I’m sure his idea was, „Let’s go to Rome, rent the Coliseum, and have a harvest crusade every night with Paul preaching.“ That was his idea of taking the message and getting it spread all through the Roman Empire. God’s idea was to make him a royal prisoner of Nero. Nero was the emperor at that time.
Now, as a royal prisoner, he had an opportunity to share Christ with many key people that even other prisoners wouldn’t be able to do. He’s chained. He’s not only in a Roman prison; he’s chained 24 hours a day to a palace guard. What’s the palace guard? They were the elite, hand-picked security agents of Caesar, and they guarded prisoners in four-hour shifts.
A Captive Audience
Now, follow me on the math of this: Paul was in prison in Rome for over two years. He’s chained to an elite, hand-picked, crack agent guard every four hours. That means over two years, there would be 4,380 different guards who would be attached to him. What’s going on here? He’s dealing with people of influence, and he’s got a captive audience, no pun intended. You know, when I think about this, he’s chained to these guards, nearly 5,000 or over 4,000 guards. Who’s the real prisoner here? You’re chained to Paul, and you are a captive audience, and he talks to every one of these guys about the Lord.
The Bible tells us that there were two results of this. In chapter 4 of Philippians, it tells us that some of Nero’s own family had come to Christ. Did you know that? Some of Nero’s own family had become Christians because Paul was witnessing to the royal guards? You might call that a chain reaction, because he’s chained to these guards. That’s the first benefit.
The second benefit is this: Instead of Paul going out and preaching in the Coliseum, Paul was forced to sit still in his prison cell. And you know what he did during all those two years? He wrote the New Testament, over half of the New Testament, letters of Paul to different churches, including this one to the people in Philippi. And so he’s writing the New Testament, and the expenses are paid by Nero.
Face Situations with Faith
Now, write this down: Face every situation with faith, not fear. If I want to be happy, I must face every situation, whether it’s people, pain, problems, or pressures, with faith, not fear. Get the bigger perspective. Learn to see your problems, your pains, your pressures, and the people in your life from God’s point of view, not just your own.
Now, before we go to the second principle, I want to practice this first one. So I want you to bow your head right now, okay? Wherever you are, whatever campus, or if you’re listening on Daily Hope, if you can pull over to the side of the road. If you’re driving, don’t bow your head while you’re driving. Pull over to the side of the road.
And here’s the first thing I want you to do: think of a situation that you’re facing right now that is either scaring you or causing you unhappiness. Think of a situation in your life that’s either scaring you or causing unhappiness. Now, I want you to say this in a prayer to God: „God, ” just say that, „God, help me to see this from your perspective. Help me to face this problem with faith, not fear.“ Amen.
Benefits of Faith Over Fear
Now what you just did is the first step to perpetual happiness. Anytime, by the way, you face a situation in faith rather than in fear, and you trust that God knows what He’s doing, and you remember that He’s working out His plan, two things happen when you face your problems with faith, not fear:
First, it’s a witness to unbelievers. Every time you have faith instead of fear, verse 13 of Philippians chapter 1 says this: Paul says, „For everyone here, ” he’s talking about in the prison, „everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I’m in chains because of Christ.“ Okay, so it’s a witness to unbelievers when you act in faith toward your problems rather than in fear. So witness to unbelievers.
It’s also, number two, an encouragement to other believers. It’s an encouragement to believers. Verse 14, he says this: „And by the way, because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here, the believers here, have gained confidence. They’ve become bolder and become more bold in telling others about Christ.“ Anytime you react to the pain, pressures, problems, or people in your life from God’s perspective rather than your own, it’s going to be a witness to unbelievers, and it’s going to be an encouragement to believers.
Personal Testimony of Faith
You know, when our youngest child Matthew died and took his life during a period of great mental illness, Kay and I noticed that both of these things happened with us because we saw God’s perspective and faced this horrible crisis in our lives with faith, not fear. And as a result, we were able to witness to millions of unbelievers. For instance, being on the cover of People magazine and doing a one-hour interview on CNN and a lot of other things, we were able to witness to millions of unbelievers, and we were able to encourage, and even still today, encourage many believers who are struggling with mental health issues in their family or personally or thoughts of suicide.
So, the first thing I do if I want to always be happy, regardless of the circumstances, how to be happy in spite of whatever happens: I remember that God can bring good out of bad.
Never Let Others Control Your Attitude
Second, here’s the second thing: I can be happy no matter what happens in my life if I choose to do this: never let others control my attitude. Never let others, either by their words or by their actions, control my attitude. They can’t control you unless you allow them to control you by their words or by their actions.
Now, while Paul was in prison, there were people who criticized his ministry. While he’s down, they’re kicking him. They slandered Paul. They judged Paul. There were those who were his friends who supported his ministry. They were companions and friends. There were those who competed with his ministry while he was in prison, taking advantage that he’s out of circulation, and there were those who undermined his ministry. They actually attacked him and tried to destroy him while he was in prison.
In Philippians chapter 1, the next couple of verses, verses 15, 16-17, Paul describes four kinds of people. Three of these four kinds of people are killjoys, and guess what? You’re going to have all four of these in your life. Hopefully, you’re going to have companions, but there are critics, there are companions, there are competitors, and there are challengers. You’re going to have all four of these in your life, and if you don’t know how to deal with them, you’re not going to be happy for much of your life.
Dealing with Critics
First, in verse 15, Paul had critics, and he says this: „It’s true that some people preach Christ because they’re jealous of us, and they like to argue.“ They’re jealous of us; they like to argue. You know the word there, „eris“ in Greek means they love to argue; they love conflict; they enjoy creating controversy. These people hang out on social media; they’re contentious. They’re divisive; they’re critical. They love conflict; they love to bait people into controversy. They’re on social media all the time. Have you ever heard a preacher on the radio or the television like that? He baits everybody by being provocative and critical of somebody else. Ever read a blogger or somebody in social media like that?
Now notice that Paul says that the critic’s motives are often jealousy, and they want to have the influence you’ve got, and so they start trying to tear you down. Now, there are a few things in life that cause you to lose your happiness faster than criticism. I mean, we all want people to like us. Okay, but here’s an important principle you need to remember: If you’re going to be happy in life, you don’t need other people’s approval or permission to be happy. You don’t need other people’s approval to be happy. You don’t need other people’s permission to be happy. Happiness is a choice. You’re happy as you choose to be.
The Value of Companions
So, he deals with critics in verse 15. Then, in 16, he talks about his companions. Now, these are the good people. You want these people in your life. He says other people preach from genuine goodwill, and they do so out of love, and they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel. You want to have some friends in your life. You don’t need a lot, but you need a couple of really good friends. That’s why we always talk about being in a small group. If you’re not in a small group, you need to get in a small group. You need a group of companions who will help you through the tough times in your life. The small group I’m in right now, I’ve been in I think over 20 years, and it has helped me many times. They are a source of encouragement and happiness for me.
Handling Competitors and Challengers
In the next verse, Paul says you’re going to have competitors in life, and he says this: „Other people preach Christ insincerely from a spirit of selfish ambition.“ You know there are going to be people in your life. You’re going to have competitors—people who want to compete with you. They’re ego-driven. One of the things you can tell about them is they put down others in an attempt to make themselves look good. Now, let me just say this: Whether you’re a business person or you’re a teenager or you’re a homemaker, whatever, competitors who look like they’re trying to compete with you over what your house looks like or what your job is or who’s your best friend at school, competitors will rob your happiness if you let them, but you can’t; happiness is a choice.
Then, the second part of verse 17 says there are challengers. There are people out there who really just don’t like you; they’re enemies, and he says, „Others want to stir up more trouble for me.“ You know what? What a thing! People actually want to stir up trouble for other people. Yeah, they do. They find their value in creating trouble for other people. I heard about someone in a neighborhood once, and they said she’s only happy when she’s making trouble for her neighbors. He says others just want to stir up more trouble for me and add pain while I’m in prison.
Now, these are the troublemakers and the crazy-makers of life. And you know what their primary tool is? Gossip. Gossip can ruin your happiness very quickly too, just like criticism can. Now you’re going to have all four of these in your life: critics, companions, competitors, and then these crazy makers who are always just trying to tear you down.
Paul’s Response to People
Now, regardless of the people in your life, people are the second killjoy in your life. Look at Paul’s attitude; it’s the next verse: Philippians chapter 1, verse 18. Paul says this: „You know what? What other people do—all these four he just mentioned—what others do doesn’t really matter.“ The important thing is that, in every way, whether for right or wrong reasons, the message of Christ is being shared. So circle this: „I am happy.“ Circle that: „I am happy.“ And I will continue to be happy. Circle that.
What is Paul modeling here? He’s saying I’m not going to let anybody, whether it’s a critic or a companion or a competitor or a crazy maker or it’s an enemy, whatever. He says I’m just not, I’m not going to let anybody steal my happiness. Not only can pain not take it away; people can’t take it away.
Now the fact is, the more blessed you are in life, the more you’re going to be attacked. Sometimes I’m asked by people about the people who criticize me, and my response is always, „What is this? What other people think of me in no way controls what I think of them, and I don’t have to worry about it.“ You know, a lot of times you’re worried about what other people think. Let me tell you something: they’re not thinking about you most of the time; they’re thinking about themselves. So why worry about it?
Fearless in the Face of Opposition
Philippians chapter 1, verse 28 says this: „Be fearless. No matter who opposes you, it will be assigned to them of their downfall and that God is with you and that He’s going to save you.“ You know, I can identify with this. After Matthew died, we were subjected to the most vile accusations and criticisms. People used Matthew’s death to really try to harm us, and they said some of the most mean-spirited things. Yet we made it through. And after we went through that gauntlet of months, six months of it, I really thought, „Is that all you got? Is that the worst thing you can say?“
And I remember telling Kay one time after going through all of the criticism after Matthew’s death, honestly, I said to her, „Okay, honestly, I feel fearless. I feel like I’ve been through the worst possible situation and the worst criticisms and attacks you could imagine, and I’m still standing by God’s grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit, and I feel fearless. What more can they do?“ It didn’t completely cure me, but it almost cured me of caring about what other people think.
Jesus said it like this when He gave the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5. He said, „Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.“ In other words, don’t worry; be happy.
The Privilege of Suffering
Now Paul explains why you can be happy no matter what in verses 29 and 30 of Philippians chapter 1. He says this: „For you have been given, you Christians, you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for Him.“ Did you know that’s part of being a Christian? The privilege of trusting Christ, the privilege of suffering for Christ? We are in this fight together. The Bible says you have seen me suffer. Paul’s talking, you have seen me suffer for Him in the past, and you know that I’m still in the midst of a great struggle.
What I want to say on this second point is summed up like this: If you live for the approval of other people, you get your happiness from the approval of other people, whether it’s likes on your Facebook page or how many people give you a thumbs-up on your Instagram or whatever. If you live for the approval of others, you will die by their disapproval. Okay? That’s the wrong way to find happiness. You have to learn you don’t need anybody else’s approval to be happy. You are as happy as you choose to be.
Always Be Thankful
1 Thessalonians 5:18—no matter what happens—that’s the theme of this message. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Jesus Christ. Notice: this is God’s will. You want to be in the center of God’s will? Always be grateful and thankful, even no matter what happens, no matter what other people say, or what other people do.
Okay, now let’s review. I’ve already given you two principles. You can be happy no matter what happens in your life if you choose to do two things:
First, remember that God can bring good out of anything. That’s Romans 8:28. So, look at the situation with faith, not fear. Would you start saying, „God, help me look at every situation with faith, not fear“?
Second, never let what other people say or do control your attitude. These are powerful. We could just stop right there, but Paul has two more keys to being happy in life no matter what happens.
Trust God to Work Things Out
Third, number three: I can be happy no matter what happens if I choose to write this down: trust God to always work things out. That’s the third key. I must trust God to always work things out, whether it’s pain or pressure or problems or people. This is the third faith factor in happiness. You’re going to either worry about what’s happened in your life or you’re going to worship. You’re going to panic or you’re going to pray. You’re going to have faith, or you’re going to have fear.
This is verse 19 in Philippians chapter 1. He says this: „I will continue to rejoice.“ Now circle again the word „will.“ If you’re taking notes on the outline, that’s a choice. It’s a choice of the will; it’s a decision. „I will continue to rejoice.“ Why? „For I know that as you pray for me, and as the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, all that happened will turn out for my deliverance.“ Remember, he’s writing this from prison. He has no physical evidence of this. This is a statement of faith, not of fear.
Sources of Strength
Now, in that verse I just read, if you’re looking at it still, Paul gives four sources of strength in tough times. I want you to circle these four sources. First, I have God’s perspective on my problem; that helps me be happy. Notice it says, „For I know, ” circle the word „know.“ That’s God’s perspective. I know. I don’t guess; I don’t imagine; I don’t hope; I don’t think; I know. I have God’s perspective. I’m looking at my situation—the pain, the problems, the pressures, the people—I’m looking at from God’s point of view.
Second, I have people praying for me. Did you notice that? Circle the word „pray.“ You’re praying for me. That makes me happy.
Number three: I have the Holy Spirit helping me. He says, „I’ve got the Spirit of God in me.“
Then, number four: I have the faith that God will work it out for good. Therefore, I choose to be happy. He says, „I will.“ That’s a choice.
Now, trusting God when you don’t see the whole picture and you can’t see the end of the story, trusting God gives you hope, courage, and happiness. Look at the next verse there in Philippians chapter 1, verse 20. „It is my eager expectation”—that’s faith and hope, that’s hope—“that I will not be ashamed.“ Remember, he’s in prison as he’s writing this, „but that with full courage, now as always, Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.“ He goes, „I don’t know the end of my story. I don’t know if I’m going to get out of this prison and be a free man again, or if they’re going to feed me to the lions or I’m going to be set in with gladiators or just be hung or crucified.“ He said, „I don’t know whether by life or death. I am trusting God.“
Happy Trust in the Lord
I love this verse, Hebrews 10:35, there on your outline. It says this in the Living Bible: „Do not let your happy trust in the Lord die away.“ Do not let your happy trust in the Lord die away. Don’t let it fall away, no matter what happens. He says, „Remember your reward.“ That’s a long-term perspective. Short-term, I see all the problems, the pain, and the pressures and the people; long-term, I see the reward. Don’t let your happy trust—circle the word phrase „happy trust.“ Happiness and trust go together. If you don’t trust God, you’re going to be fearful and unhappy for most of your life. You must choose to trust God just like you have to choose to be happy, no matter what it looks like.
So, let’s just review now again. I can be happy no matter what happens in my life if I, one, choose to remember that God can bring good out of bad, out of anything. God can bring good out of anything. God specializes in that. If I look at every situation with faith, not fear, would you start saying, „God, help me to look at every situation with faith, not fear“?
If I never let what other people say or do control my attitude, and if I trust God to always work things out, I know this is not the end of the story. Some of you are at the end of a chapter in your life, but you’re not at the end of your story.
Stay Focused on Purpose
Now, finally, there is a fourth principle in this Philippians chapter one powerful passage on how to be happy. Finally, I can be happy no matter what happens in my life if I choose to do this fourth thing: number four, write it down, stay focused on my purpose, not my problem. Stay focused on my purpose, the purpose of your life, God’s purpose, not your problem.
Now again, remember what Paul is experiencing as he writes these words. Paul is old. He’s in bad health. His body aches; he’s in a dank, dark, depressing Roman prison in a dungeon. He’s awaiting death by persecution or execution. They’ve taken away everything. They’ve taken away his freedom. They’ve taken away his friends. They’ve even taken away his privacy. He’s chained to a guard 24 hours a day; he doesn’t even have any privacy. But they couldn’t take away his purpose, God’s purpose for his life. And that’s why Paul says this in verses 22 to 25 of Philippians chapter 1.
He says, „If by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work for Christ…“ He goes, „If I continue to live and I can do more worthwhile work for Christ, then I’m not sure which I should choose. I’m pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ.“ He’s talking about in heaven, „which is a far better thing. No more sadness, sorrow, sickness, tears, suffering. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ; it’s a far better thing. But, ” he says, „for your sake, it’s much more important that I remain alive.“
He says, „I am sure of this, so I know that I will stay on with you all so I can add to your progress and joy in the faith.“ He says, „The reason I’m here is not for my benefit. The reason I’m still here is for your benefit. I’m writing these letters to all the different churches, which became the New Testament, so I can add to your progress in joy.“
Living for Christ
Now notice here Paul has a purpose—a very clear purpose. He even explains what his purpose is. He says, „I’m living for your benefit and for the glory of God.“ But Paul has a purpose not just for living; Paul has a purpose for dying too. He said, „I really don’t know whether it’s better for me to stay here and go on to heaven.“ Listen—you’re not ready to fully live until you know clearly what you would die for. What are you willing to live for? What are you willing to die for?
Paul says, „On Earth, my purpose is to serve God by serving others. After I die, my purpose is to be with God forever in heaven.“ Paul is saying, „I just stay alive for the sake of others.“ Wow. He says, „Selfishly, it’d be better for me to go on to heaven. No more problems, no more pain, no more pressures, no more picky people.“
Now don’t miss this fourth secret principle of happiness. I’m going to say it as clearly as I can: happiness does not come from self-gratification. Living for yourself—happiness does not come from selfishness. It doesn’t come from living a self-centered life, all about me, me, me, myself, and I—the kingdom of me. Happiness never comes from selfishness. Happiness doesn’t come from self-gratification. Happiness comes from self-sacrifice, living for the benefit and the glory of God and in order to serve others.
For Me to Live Is Christ
Now Paul sums up his entire purpose and the entire reason he is happy regardless of what happens in his life. He sums it up in a single sentence—one of the most famous sentences in the Bible: Philippians chapter 1, verse 21. Paul says it here: „For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.“ For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I’m going to go be with my Savior who died for me, who loved me, who created me, who filled me, who had a purpose for my life. For me to live is Christ, for me to die is gain. I’m not afraid of death; it’s where I want to be. I don’t want to live in a broken world for the rest of eternity.
Now, let me close and wrap this up by asking how would you fill in the blank: For me to live is…? What would you put as the last phrase? For me to live is my hobby? For me to live is my sport? For me to live is to make more money? For me to live is to get a house, to have nice things? For me to live is a promotion? How would you fill that last line: For me to live is the approval of others? For me to live is sex? For me to live is getting married? For me to live is being well known? For me to live is being known as a success?
Friends, I’m sharing my heart with you right now. How you fill in that blank will determine your happiness for the rest of your life. For me to live is… Until you’re able to say the right thing there, you’re going to have a lot of misery in your life because all of those other things lead to unhappiness. Ultimately, there’s only one answer that leads to happiness, no matter what happens. Are you ready to settle this issue today and get on with the rest of your life? To make the rest of your life the best of your life, you’ve got to fill in the blank correctly: For me to live is… What’s going to be the answer for the final years of your life, however many years that is—50 years, 70 years, 10 years, one year? For me to live is…
Closing Prayer
I want us to bow our heads right now. Would you bow your head? And I want you to pray this prayer in your heart, okay? Just say, „Dear Jesus.“ He knows your thoughts; He knows what you’re thinking. Say it in your mind: „Dear Jesus, you know that I often let my circumstances determine my happiness.“ Just say that. Tell that to God; be honest with God. „God, I’ve often allowed the killjoys of pain and problems and pressures and picky people to rob my happiness, but I don’t want that to be true anymore. Starting today, I want to practice these four principles of how to be happy, no matter what happens, secrets that Paul modeled.
Help me to remember that you have a good plan even out of the bad things that happen in my life, that you can turn bad into good. Help me to remember that your viewpoint is the key. Help me to look at everything in my life from your perspective. I want to be a wise man; I want to be a wise woman. I want to handle the situations that come into my life in a way that is a witness to non-believers and an encouragement to believers.
Father, help me to remember that what other people say and what other people do does not control my happiness unless I choose to allow it. Help me to remember that things I don’t understand and things I can’t figure out, I don’t have to have the answer to trust you. I want to trust you to work it all out for good. Help me to stay focused on your purpose for my life, not my problems. I want to use the rest of my life in serving you by serving others. And then I want to be with you in heaven for eternity.
So from this day on, I’m going to fill in the blank: For me to live will be Christ. Just say that to Him: For the rest of my life, I want the answer to be: For me to live is Christ. I know He is the ultimate source of happiness.
I ask you, Jesus Christ, to take over every area of my life. Guide me and lead me, protect me and use me. In your name, I pray. Amen.