30 Days - an Overview of the Bible in Just Thirty Daysනියැදිය

The Pursuit of Happiness

People look for happiness in all kinds of places. A good view, a day out with friends, time in nature. Those things can be really good. They give us a break, they lift our mood. Sometimes, they even feel like enough. But eventually the moment ends, the view fades, the feeling wears off. We’re left looking for the next thing to fill the gap. Even the best parts of life, nature, friendship, adventure can’t give us lasting happiness because they were never meant to! They’re signs, reminders, pointing us to the one place real joy comes from – God. He’s the one they come from. And only He can satisfy.

1 Peter 1:3 - 9

All of us want to be happy. But what causes happiness? The apostle Peter tells us here how to find true happiness, how to be ‘filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy’ (v.8).

In David Myers’ book, The Pursuit of Happiness, he concludes that happy people have three things: 1. An optimistic outlook; 2. High self-esteem; and 3. Close relationships.

Where do we find these? Peter tells us in today’s passage.

1. An optimistic outlook (vv.3–5)

What does the future hold for us? Peter praises God for the possibility of ‘new birth’ into a ‘living hope’ (v.3). Biblical hope is not hazy but certain, growing in strength year by year.

When we ‘hope it’ll be a nice day,’ we have no idea if it will be or not. But when the Bible speaks of hope, it speaks of certainty because this hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which really did happen. In a real place in Jerusalem, there is a real grave which is empty forever. Jesus Christ conquered death and is alive for eternity. Those who are born again through faith in Jesus Christ will do the same. Your future is entirely secure: you are ‘shielded by God’s power for eternity’ (v.5). This is a hope that far exceeds the hopes of this world.

Your inheritance is ‘ready to be revealed’. We are like children waiting for our Christmas present without knowing exactly when Christmas will come. Normally we receive an inheritance when someone else dies, and when we die we leave one. But theinheritance that the apostle Peter is talking about, you receive in full when you die. It will ‘never spoil’ whereas everything you see around you here on earth will eventually perish. Your possessions here fade but this inheritance will never fade. It is ‘kept in heaven for you’ (v.4).

Your heavenly inheritance is ‘stored up’ for you, reserved in your name (v.5) and guaranteed. God is watching over you, as he will do forever.

2. High self-esteem (vv.6–7)

The Old Testament prophesied that we would ‘walk with heads held high’ (Leviticus 26:13). How is this possible? First, because you are forgiven by ‘his great mercy’ (v.3). Life is not always easy. You may have to go through ‘various trials’ (v.6) but Peter writes that within and beyond the pain and suffering, there is cause for rejoicing.

Why? First, because of the relative brevity of your trials in contrast with eternity:. Secondly, it is through these trials that your faith is refined (v.7) (as gold is refined by fire) and proved to be genuine, which ultimately will result in ‘praise, glory and honour.’ This refers to your praise and worship of God, but here it may also mean that God will give praise to his servants (eg see Mathew 25:14–30).

3. Close relationships (vv.8–9)

At the core of our being there is a powerful longing for love and relationship.

Geri Halliwell has spoken often of her burning desire for fame which, once fulfilled, turned into the terrible fear of losing it. Having achieved fame and success, she said, (speaking for many): ‘I just want to be happy… Yet, I feel really lonely, I want love in my life.’

The apostle Peter had seen Jesus. His listeners had not. They believed without having seen him, but they longed to see him and know him.

Larry King is was the a CNN Talk show host who has interviewed many of the richest, most famous, most influential people in the world. He describeds himself as an atheist. Yet he said this: ‘Jesus Christ had a more profound effect on mankind than any individual ever born. If there is one person in history I would like to interview, it would be Jesus.’

Maybe you feel the same. You would love to ask him all your unanswered questions. You can. You can know him now and love him now. The word used for love here implies a continual regular activity – a personal daily relationship with the ascended Lord Jesus. A personal trust in Christ and love for him is the reason for your greatest joy. This surely is the secret of happiness. This is the ultimate close relationship. An optimistic outlook and high self-esteem ultimately both stem from this.

Thank God today for the inheritance waiting in heaven for you to enjoy forever. This will help put your current problems and anxieties in perspective. If you are going through difficult times, pray that God will sustain you by his Spirit and use the experience to give you a deeper understanding of yourself and of himself.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for giving me new life through the resurrection of Jesus. Thank you that, through a relationship with Jesus, I can experience true happiness: ‘inexpressible and glorious joy’. I pray for my relationships with others to flourish, and for friends, family, neighbours and colleagues who don’t know you, that they may come to know this love and joy in their own lives.

References

© Nicky Gumbel, 2024

This reading plan is adapted from the book 30 Days by Nicky Gumbel. It is published by Hodder and Stoughton in the UK, and by HarperCollins Christian Publishing in the USA.