“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,

but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit..”

Romans 14:17

Each one of us wants to be happy. You are happy when you happen to meet someone special in your life. You are happy when you receive the news that a prominent company wants to hire you. You are happy when you are on vacation. You are happy when you are enjoying your favorite food and drink. You are happy when you get the promotion you always wanted. You are happy when someone gives you a present. However, the state of your happiness is dependent on a positive circumstance that you are experiencing at the moment. What if you are experiencing negative situations or events in your life? Will you still be happy? It is hard to be happy when the doctor says to you that you have only a few months to live. It is hard to be happy when you are going through a broken relationship with someone you have known for a while. It is hard to be happy when you fail your test in school after studying hard. So, while being happy affects you from the outside in, God wants you to live beyond happiness into the fullness of life He has for you to enjoy.

Beyond happiness, God wants you to have the following:

• His Righteousness: Christ’s righteousness in you seals your relationship with God because His righteousness is based not on your performance but on the finished work of Christ on the cross. This blessing is the reason someone can have all the rest: peace, joy, and contentment. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• Peace: Peace is an inner calmness because you trust God will pull you through and cause all things to work for your good, no matter what may have befallen you. (John 14:27)
• Joy: Joy is different from happiness in that joy is unconditional. You can have joy in all situations, whereas happiness depends on your circumstances. Joy permeates from the inside out of your spirit, whereas happiness permeates from the outside in based on your circumstances. (John 16:24)
• Contentment: Being content means being satisfied with what you have, who you are, and all your circumstances— good or bad. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

When you trust Him, the Holy Spirit who lives inside every born-again believer will bring joy, peace, and contentment into your life. Rather than seeking to make yourself happy, you can seek to make other people happy despite what you are going through. This is His purpose and fullness manifesting in your life through Christ’s righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These are the blessings He has imparted to you to live beyond your happiness. Hallelujah!

Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:11-13

This Devotional is from:

“Live The New You – 365 Days Devotional in Living the Real You”