What We Learn From Jesus
How to Find Happiness
What is the key to happiness?
▪ Jesus mentioned happiness in the very first words of his most famous sermon. He said: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.” (Matthew 5:3) What did he mean? What is our spiritual need?
To survive, we need to breathe, drink, and eat, just as animals do. But to be happy, we have a need that animals do not have—the need for understanding the purpose of life. Only the Creator of life can fill that need. Thus, Jesus said: “Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.” (Matthew 4:4) Those who are conscious of their spiritual need are happy because they draw close to Jehovah, “the happy God,” and he gives them something vital for happiness—hope.—1 Timothy 1:11.
How did Jesus give hope?
▪ “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth,” said Jesus. (Matthew 5:5) Jesus gave hope to mankind by curing sick people and raising dead people back to life on earth. He also came with a message of hope. He explained: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) People who obey God will enjoy everlasting life on earth. Can you imagine living among mild-tempered people and never growing old? No wonder God’s Word says: “Rejoice in the hope.” (Romans 12:12) Jesus also discussed how to find happiness now.
What happy way of life did Jesus teach?
▪ Jesus gave practical counsel on such matters as personal relationships, marriage, humility, and the appropriate view of material things. (Matthew 5:21-32; 6:1-5, 19-34) Following Jesus’ advice will help you to find happiness.
Generosity brings happiness. (Acts 20:35) For example, Jesus said: “When you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you.” (Luke 14:13, 14) Happiness comes, not to those who seek it for themselves, but to those who seek it for others.
What is the greatest source of happiness?
▪ Doing things for other people can make you happy, but doing things for God can make you happier. Even the happiness of proud parents who love their children cannot compare with it. This is clear from what took place on one occasion while Jesus was teaching publicly. “A certain woman out of the crowd raised her voice and said to him: ‘Happy is the womb that carried you and the breasts that you sucked!’ But he said: ‘No, rather, Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!’”—Luke 11:27, 28.
Jesus himself found satisfaction and happiness doing his heavenly Father’s will. God’s will is that people hear about the hope of everlasting life. Once, after explaining this hope to an interested person, Jesus said: “My food is for me to do the will of him that sent me.” (John 4:13, 14, 34) You too can experience the happiness of doing something that pleases God by sharing Bible truth with others.
For more information, see chapter 1 of this book, What Does the Bible Really Teach? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
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True happiness comes from satisfying our need to understand the purpose of life