By David Stahl
As we moved from 2017 to 2018 I lost track (an understatement) of the number of Christians who said, “I hope I have a happy new year” or “I wonder what the new year holds for me and my family?” I kind of shook my head and pondered what in the world are they talking about? What kind of year are they going to have? What does the new year hold for them? Really? Are they Christians? Now I will be the first to admit being a Christian does not exempt us from life’s many distractions, sorrows, and disappointments, but as Christians we MUST in experience of relationship with the LORD rise above the fray of worldly trials and circumstances (that seemingly level the playing field) for all who live on earth will be situational dependent (being happy) or sad depending on situations and circumstances faced in our daily living. As Christians we are not to look for our happiness in temporal things such as our livelihood, success, our health, even our acceptance. A.H. Maslow the well know American psychologist who was best known for creating “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,” a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Maslow described human needs as ordered in a prepotent hierarchy—a pressing need would need to be mostly satisfied before someone would give their attention to the next highest need. The hierarchy of human needs model suggests that human needs will only be fulfilled one level at a time. According to Maslow’s theory when a human being ascends the levels of the hierarchy having fulfilled the needs in the hierarchy one may eventually achieve self-actualization. At the bottom of the hierarchy are the basic needs or physiological needs of a human being: food, water, sleep, sex, etc. Then safety needs: security, order, and stability. Next is the third level of need is love and belonging. And at the top of the pyramid need for self-actualization occurs when individuals reach a state of harmony and understanding because they are engaged in achieving their full potential. Once a person has reached the self-actualization state they focus on themselves and try to build their own image. They may look at this in terms of feelings such as self-confidence or by accomplishing a set goal. Late in life Maslow came to conclude that self-actualization was not an automatic outcome of satisfying the other human needs. Sadly (it is my experience) this is the way most Christians live their lives. Once I get a good job, a big house, and fancy car then I can work on myself and all the while satisfying basic needs along the way will equal the happiness I find in my life. Well this contrary to what the Bible teaches. The word of God has a much much more deeper and fuller understanding of where our happiness in found. Christians are not to build their happiness, which is situational dependent (where we get the word “blessed” from), but we are to be built on joy. Joy keeps us going when all around us is collapsing and hope seems to be no more. When our life is in shambles the “joy” (not happiness of the LORD) rushes in and is a shield and buckler for us to endure the many slings and arrows our daily living brings our way. Nehemiah shares with us a critical truth we MUST never forget when life begins to get us down. And make no mistake life will get us down the LORD will see to it. “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) But notice this is not just any “joy” it is “the joy of the LORD” which is our strength. The “joy of the LORD” is what strengthens us to endure and overcome life’s problems and circumstances. How can we guess if problems and situations are coming our way in the new year? How can we wonder what the new year will be like? They are on the way the LORD will see to it, because it is the LORD’s dealings and judgments in our lives that develops “the joy of the LORD” in us. Happiness is light and fleeting while “joy” is heavy and abiding. “The joy of the LORD” puts us on a good path for all year and it will sustain us all the days of our lives because it is built from a work of God in us and because it produces in us wisdom, righteousness, judgment (oh a bad word for most Christians), and equity. In the Proverbs Solomon said, “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.” (Proverbs 2:6-9) When does the LORD give us all of these things? When we allow Him to work in our lives to show us our infirmities and failures. He adds these things underlined above to us while He is able to subtract our weaknesses and failures. God has made a way to endure life and overcome (be victorious) it through the work of Christ on the cross and through His dealings and judgments now within us. Can you imagine the hearing and understanding of the disciples and all in the crowd when Jesus told them, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where withal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:31-34) How could Jesus say, “take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where withal shall we be clothed?” Does not Jesus know we need food, drink, clothing? Yes, but if you are filled with “the joy of the LORD” having or not having food, drink, or clothing does not matter. Does not Jesus know we need to self-actualize (become all we can be) and take care of our self? Yes of course, but back in Nehemiah we read, “Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord:” Again “the joy of the LORD” is dependent not on us receiving (even from God), but others receiving. How could Jesus say, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” Does not Jesus know we are to be happy? Well, no He does not. One of the greatest revelation we can discover in the new year is God is not trying to make us rich, popular, famous, powerful, or even happy, but is trying to do all that we will allow in our lives to conform us into the character and image of Jesus Christ. Sandwiched between these thoughts above is what God expects in our lives to bring us to a place in Him where we can survive and overcome life, “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” That is right “seek (it must be discovered) it is not laying on the ground somewhere waiting to be found there is a discovery we must make as God works in our lives) first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Now the “kingdom God” is not a place or a palace, but it is within us. In Luke we read, “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21) When the “kingdom of God” is active in our lives happiness will not even be a concern. Paul told the Church at Rome, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17) You cannot get a job in the kingdom of God, but many people try to. Ah there is that word “joy” again, but that is not just the joy we have when we see a new born baby or as we swell up with pride when our son or daughter hits the winning goal, but it is “the joy of the LORD.” The only way to have a happy new year is to allow God to work in our lives through His dealings and judgments and build in us “the joy of the LORD” and not happiness and even a good blessings.
