Two Words That Bring True Happiness

One thing so many people crave in life is happiness. People are looking for the magic pill to take or whatever formula they can use to bring more of it (or any of it for some people) into their lives.

As I was doing some reading today, I found a very simple process that can add much happiness to your life. I know it’s true because the times I’ve followed this guideline in my own life I can honestly say have been the happiest times in my life.

It comes from Proverbs 16:20 which says, “Whoever pays attention to what he is taught will succeed. And whoever trusts the Lord will be happy.” It’s the second part of this verse that caught my attention, and that I want to share with you here. Whoever trusts in the Lord will be happy. That’s it! One of the great keys to happiness is simply trusting in the Lord.

Now, I know from experience that many times it is not easy to trust in the Lord. If we can’t see it or believe it yet, it is very difficult to have faith and trust that everything is going to be ok. I get that, and I still have times in my life, after all I’ve been learned about what I share here, that I still struggle to follow this advice myself. However, when we learn to “let go and let God”, and trust that “all things work our for our good” (Romans 8:28), that is when we experience true happiness.

Several years ago I went through a major trust experience. I was working as a teacher, but the job was temporary. It ended at the end of the school year, but there was a chance that I could earn a permanent position at that school, with the increase in pay and job security that went with it. At the same time, my family and I were presented with the opportunity to buy our dream house. It was a very optimistic time. I felt like I had earned the right to that secure job at the school, and couldn’t wait to finally bring our family to the beautiful house. All was good until I received the letter from the school saying they were not bringing me back. That was crushing in itself, but now, as the primary income earner of my family, I would be out of a job as of September. That would not look good in the middle of applying for a mortgage for a house that would already be a strain on our finances. I was so afraid that they would cancel the application and deny us the mortgage. I didn’t say anything to the mortgage company. I had worked for that company for several years before becoming a teacher and even worked there still at that time as a part-time assistant. I wasn’t going to say anything to them about this. I wasn’t hiding anything because I was confident I would have another job by September, and they go through a verification process so they would eventually find out what they need to know and make any necessary determinations. However, for a couple of weeks, I really stressed over this situation. Then one day I just felt God speaking to me. I felt like I was being told to let it go, and put the situation in His hands. I could almost hear Him saying, “trust me.” All of a sudden, the burden of stress completely lifted. Instead of fear, I had a sincere trust that this was in God’s hands, and things would work out best for my family and me. I not only felt more peace but also carried a feeling of joy. God had spoken to me and assured me that all was good. Who better to trust than the creator of the entire universe? As it turns out, the company never even questioned me about the job situation. The mortgage was approved easily, and we were in our new house a few weeks later. And yes, by mid-August I had a new teaching job as well 🙂

Although this is one of the major examples in my life, there have been many others where God has proven to me that I can put my full trust in Him. And when I do, I am most happy in my life. I share this with you because if you are looking for true happiness in your life, the most simple way to achieve it is by trusting God and knowing that “if He can hold the whole world in His hands, He can hold this moment” (Jason Gray from his song “Sparrows”). He can hold any moment, any situation, and any problem, with the power to bring good to it.

Remember, whoever trusts the Lord will be happy. Other versions of the verse say that besides happiness, trusting in the Lord can bring blessings and prosperity as well. The Amplified Bible version says, “Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who trusts [confidently] in the Lord.” I will say again that sometimes (ok, many times) it is not easy to trust in the Lord. However, the more you do, the more your faith grows and you realize that He has only your best interests in mind, and He is there for you all the time to help you live well.

You do not have to rely on external things to make you happy. The God of the universe dwells in your midst. He is right there for you all the time. Trust Him in every situation, and you will experience a happiness that you never have before. Enjoy the blessings 🙂