Title: “What is Happiness?”
Contents
What is happiness?
The Talmud says, "The strongest are those who are in control, the truest are those who learn everything, and the happiest are those who are content with what they have." Not everyone who has it is happy.
A person with gratitude is truly a wealthy person, and a truly happy person. In fact, it is unfortunate that people do not have gratitude.
St. Augustine (Augustine) said,
"If you could add one more to faith, hope, and love, thank you," he said. What is true happiness?
First, happiness is a grateful heart.
A person without gratitude is a proud person.
But those who give thanks are humble and happy.
If I had it, where is it mine? Is life mine?
no. It has been entrusted to you by God. Life comes and goes empty-handed (Job 1:21).
People shouldn't know this.
It's arrogance, and if pride doesn't brake, it's arrogance.
The biggest reason for no appreciation is "never learn."
Without thinking (meditation), of course there is no thanks (Psalm 1:1-2).
If we take it for granted, there is no appreciation for those who are legalists and who judge my merits and hard work.
In a word, if we do not realize God's grace, we cannot give thanks and become a foolish person who brings misfortune.
The apostle Paul became a new person after he believed in Jesus.
Although imprisoned in Rome, he was truly a free man (John 8:32).
Second, happiness is absolute and gracious gratitude.
Most audits are on a material level. However, this is extremely limited and relative.
If you think about it a little, it's impersonal. But there is an absolute and sincere thanksgiving, which is graceful gratitude.
To receive the grace of the Almighty, to live by grace alone, and to be grateful for what I am in grace - this is absolute gratitude.
Those who have received the forgiveness of sins and are able to give thanks thoroughly for becoming a child of God will be able to give thanks to everyone around them and to their circumstances. Paul is now in prison, but instead of murmuring and complaining - "I give thanks to my God every time I think of you, and whenever I make supplications I always make intercession for all of you with joy" (verses 3-4) - rejoice is writing to the Philippian church.
Whatever you do, just think about it, let's be grateful.
Third, happiness is the heart of being grateful.
This is the faith of the cross.
It is the heart of Jesus who accepted the cross. Paul is now in prison.
But don't think of yourself. They do not think about their own fate, their own suffering.
I only think of the church. I think of the prayers, faith, service, beautiful intelligence and devotion of the saints.
Even if I die in prison like this, I am thankful every time I think about the growth of the Philippian church.
"Every time I think about it" means "always."
This is a concrete yet realistic thanksgiving through the fellowship of the saints. It's not an abstract word.
"Every time I think about it, I give thanks" - Thinking about this or that, everything is a grace that I can't afford.
“I always pray with joy” (Verse 4)
You must have a grateful heart to pray with joy.
When there is joy, we need to be thankful and give thanks, so that proper prayer will come out before God.
Gratitude comes from grace, and thanks again from grace.
Gratitude makes me happy, and finally I can make others happy. Hallelujah!!