HOW TO FIND HAPPINESS

An atheist was once addressing a crowd of people in the open air. He was trying to persuade them that there was no god and no devil, no heaven and no hell, no resurrection, no judgment and no life to come. He advised them to throw away their bibles and not to listen to what the preachers said. He recommended them to think as he did and to be like him. He talked boldly. The crowd listened eagerly. It was the blind leading the blind. Both were falling into the ditch as in (Matthew 15.14).

In the middle of his address a poor old woman suddenly pushed her way through the crowd to the place where he was standing. She stood before him. She looked him straight in the face. ’sir,’ she said in aloud voice, ‘’Are you happy?’ The atheist looked scornfully at her and gave her no answer. ‘’Sir,’ she said again, ‘I ask you to answer my question. Are you happy? You want tus to throw away our Bibles. You tell us not to believe what preachers say about Christ. You advise us to think as you do and be like you. Now before we take your advice we have a right to know if it will do us any good. Do your fine ideas give you much comfort? Do you yourself really feel happy?’’

The atheist stopped and attempted to answer the old woman’s question. He stammered, and shuffled, and fidgeted, and endeavored to explain his meaning. He tried hard to turn the subject. He said He ’’had not come there tom preach about happiness. ‘’But it was of no use. The old woman stuck to her point. She insisted on her question being answered and the crowd took her part. She pressed him hard with her inquiry and would take no excuse. At last the atheist was obliged to leave the ground and sneak off in confusion. He could not reply to the question. His conscience would not let him: He dared not say that he was happy.

To really be happy the highest needs of a man’s nature must be met and satisfied. God has created us in such a way we will only be truly happy and complete when we come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ. The true Christian is the only happy person, because their conscience is at peace. That mysterious witness for God, which is to mercifully placed within us, is fully satisfied and at rest. The conscience sees in the priesthood and mediation of Christ a complete answer to all its fears. It sees that through the sacrifice and death of Christ, God can now be just, and yet be the justifies of the ungodly. The conscience no longer bites and stings and makes its possessor afraid of himself. The Lord Jesus Christ has amply met all its requirements. Conscience is no longer the enemy of the true.

Christian, but his friend and adviser. Therefore he is happy.

The plain truth is that without Christ there is no happiness in this world. He alone can give the Comforter who abides forever. He is the sun; without Him we never feel warm. He is the Light, without Him we are always in the dark. He is the Bread, without Him we are always starving . He is the Living Water, without Him we are always thirsty. Give people what you like. Place them where you please-surround them with all the comforts you can imagine – it makes no difference. Separate from Christ, the Prince of Peace, we cannot be happy.

Come to Him, pleading with Him to show you His mercy and grant you His salvation to wash you in His own Blood and take your sins away – to speak peace to your conscience and heal your troubled soul. Tell him all this unreservedly. This is coming to Christ.

You have everything to encourage you. The Lord Jesus Himself invites you. He proclaims to you as well as to others, ‘’Come unto me, all ye that Labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, For I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’’ (Matthew 11;28-30) Wait for noting. You may feel unworthy. You may feel as if you did not repent enough. Wait no longer, Come to Christ.

You have everything to encourage you. Thousand have walked in the way you have invited to enter and have found its good. Once, like yourself, they served the world and plunged deeply into foolishness and sin. Once, like yourself they became weary of their wickedness and longed for deliverance and rest. They heard of Christ and His willingness to help and save; they came to Him by faith and prayer and after many a doubt and hesitation, they found Him a thousand times more gracious than they have expected. They rested on Him and were happy; they carried His cross and tasted peace. Oh, walk in their step; I beseech you, by the mercies of God, to come to Christ. If you would be happy, I entreat you to come to Christ. Don’t delay. Awake from your slumber; arise, and be free, This day come to Christ.

Credit: Dr. J.C.Ryle