“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” (Romans 8:11, NLT)
Corrie Ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor, said: “Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings…It’s something we make inside ourselves.”
We may fear happiness, feeling past mistakes make us undeserving.
We may fill happiness, thinking perfection and possessions will create contentment.
We may force happiness, escaping reality through alcohol and drugs.
“It is not by force, nor by strength, but by my Spirit…” (Zechariah 4:6)
We cannot fill or force happiness into our life by outside worldly means. No matter how undeserving we feel we are, happiness is a gift freely given to us. A gift given when we become believers in Christ Jesus. A gift given by the One who lives inside us.
“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.” (1 John 4:15, NIV)
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
Happiness will freely flow from God’s Spirit living within us. (John 7:38-39)
His joy will fill us as we trust in Him. (Romans 15:13)
And no matter what has, is, or may happen in our lives, His joy will be our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)
“Happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and groaning will flee away.”(Isaiah 35:10 CEB)
~Jess
