It is Okay to be Happy!

“If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands!”  Clap Clap!  We sang that song so often in childhood and watching the looks and emotions of children as that song plays and they do their many actions can be so amusing. Sometimes it makes you wonder why in adulthood happiness eludes you. 

Psychology may tell us that happiness eludes us because of several reasons:

• Being too hard on yourself
• Relying on others to make you happy instead of finding it on your own
• Being envious of others
• Focusing too much on the negative
• Not making time for fun
• You don’t exercise, so those endorphins in your brain are low

Biblically, I know of some people who quote Galatians 5:22 which speaks about Joy as opposed to happiness and therefore suggests to you that the concept is mute.  Don’t get me wrong,  I fully support, endorse and understand having Joy above happiness, but that’s not the topic here…lol.

Anyways, I am speaking to the subset of people who don’t think they “deserve” to be happy.  I started writing this piece when I found myself blissfully happy one day. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.  I didn’t receive any exciting news, wasn’t on vacation or doing anything exciting at all.  Matter of fact, I was in my least happy place. I was just singing, being goofy as usual and I felt extremely happy.  I mean really happy!  When I noticed how happy I felt, a feeling of guilt came over me.  

This may resonate with some of you for varying reasons. But for me, it was like. It’s only a couple of months since my mum passed, how could I be so happy?  I mean, I just lost a piece of my heart.  The closest person to me, my confidant and best friend is no longer here. Coincidentally, as I am now releasing this piece, this week marks one year since I lost her and the void and pain is still so real. Additionally, other people close to me were also struggling with varying issues, so I didn’t feel I had a right to be so happy and not them.  Then I found myself sinking back into a place of just being okay.  It was comfortable being okay! Not too happy to outdo, or not too depressed so people would have you committed or think something is wrong.  Just okay! 

BUT THEN….(Boy am I thankful for a relationship with God) I felt Him say “ It is okay to be happy”  Like He knew I was seeking permission.  There and then I made the decision that no matter what is going on around me, no matter what situations I face or what I have been through, I deserve happiness.  And if I can’t find a reason.  I have the best one. My God said so!

This doesn’t mean that I am numb to the pain of loss or naïve about my circumstances. But despite everything and through it all, I still deserve happiness. I am a child of a King! I am a masterpiece designed uniquely by God and so are you!

So I re-courage you today, to keep your focus on God, not your circumstances. True and lasting happiness is only found in Him. Psalms 144:15(NKJV) states “Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” So WIPE those silent tears, PULL that chin up, PUT a smile on that LOVELY face.  It doesn’t matter if all the odds are stacked against you or whether you think your world is in turmoil.  GIVE it to Jesus! HE LOVES YOU! You deserve to be happy! And if you can’t find a reason.  I have the best one. My God said so! Click Here