God Wants Me Happy???

"God wants me happy". What? Are you serious? That actually came out of your mouth?... I couldn't believe my ears. Let's think about this for a moment... do you really think God merely wants you happy? God's sole desire is that you have an enjoyable day? Your happiness trumps His direct commands? If truth, commitment, love, peace, kindness, integrity, forgiveness, self control, etc. gets in the way of your happiness then God yields to your happiness? Are you kidding me?

God's not after your happiness, He desires your obedience! Psalm 51:6 tells us that God desires truth deep down within us; not happy bubbly feelings. The psalmist writes, "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." Ps. 40:8. God tells His children in Lev. 26:3,4 " 'If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit." He continues to list multiple blessings for obeying him; God then follows up the blessings with a list of curses for those who do not obey. And I'm sure there was some ding dong who didn't want to obey God because it got in the way of their "happiness" going, "Yeah, but God wants me happy."

God loves it when we are enjoying the life He blessed us with within the bounds of His expressed commands and desires.