The Secret to Real Happiness
Bible Reading: Matthew 16:24-28. (v.25). “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.”1 Cor 10:24‘For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.’
Matthew 16:25
Aim: Everyone in this room wants to be happy. No one wants a nervous breakdown. No one wants to be depressed. No one wants to be miserable. No one wants to live a wasted, unhappy life. There are many reasons in this life for us to be unhappy. There are many pressures, problems, disappointments, failures, struggles, trials, difficulties and losses to make us unhappy. BUT, as a Christian, we CAN be happy.
“How?” you may ask.
What is the secret to real happiness? It is found in one word:
OTHERS.
Let me explain this in 4 statements:
1. You’ll never find happiness by looking for it. “Hell &...so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Proverbs 27:20.
When you look for happiness, you are being selfish. Selfishness never leads to real happiness.
Money won’t make you happy. Fame won’t make you happy. Worldly success won’t make you happy.
Possessions won’t make you happy. Prestige won’t make you happy. Power won’t make you happy.
Illustration: Solomon spent his life looking for happiness. He gained great wealth and power. He had more beautiful women than his heart could desire. He was the wisest man in the world. He was famous.
He was well respected. But, did he find happiness by looking for it? “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3).
A selfish person will never be a truly happy person. So, stop looking for happiness. 2. Forget your own need for happiness “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” Phil 2:21
“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Philippians 2:4. We are selfish by nature. We always look out for number one. There was an ad years ago that said: “For the most important person in the world: YOU.” That’s our nature. But, we’ll never be truly happy unless we forget our own need for happiness. That’s why you fight. That’s why your marriage is in trouble. “But he doesn’t meet My needs”. That’s why you are unhappy. “She doesn’t meet My needs”. That’s why you are unhappy.
The happiest people are those who don’t rely on others for their own happiness. Eg: The only time “backslider” is used in the Bible is concerning selfishness. “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways” Proverbs 14:14.
It’s not enough to stop looking for our own happiness.
We must FORGET our own need for happiness.
How? By:
3. Living only to make others happy. “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Romans 15:1-3 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself;”
Illustration: General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was at the end of his life. He lay sick in bed, and was unable to attend the annual Salvation Army workers’ conference. The workers were devastated that General Booth could not be there to encourage and inspire them. General Booth sent a telegram to be read at the opening of the conference. A hush came over the auditorium as a man stepped to the platform to read the telegram.
The telegram read just one word: OTHERS. He had learned the secret to happiness is to live for others.
Question: What, you may ask, can I do for others? Answer: Tell someone dear that you love them. Write your parents or a friend a note of encouragement. Phone a friend to remind them that you are praying for them. Try to lead someone to Christ. Have a Bible study with a new Chriistian. Give your spouse or children a special treat.
Illustration: As I studied the lives of great preachers, I found them to be the most unselfish people. They lived for others. They prayed for others, gave to others, encouraged others, taught others, and helped others.
4. As you live for others, you will stumble upon happiness. “So labouring, ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35.
Matthew 16:25 “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: & whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Everyone wants a happy marriage.
You don’t get a happy marriage by finding someone to meet your needs.
You get a happy marriage when you forget your needs and are consumed with meeting the needs of your spouse. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, &gave himself for it;” (Ephesians.5:25).
If you give yourself to your spouse, you will have a happy marriage. “Let every one of you so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (5:33). “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Eph.6:1). You will be so busy serving others, that you will forget your own needs. You will find happiness on the path of unselfishness.
Conclusion: Jesus’ whole life was living for others. When He was dying on the cross, what did He think of? Self-pity? NO! He asked John to take care of His mother. He led the repentant thief to salvation. “To day shalt thou….”
2 Cor 8:9 “Jesus..though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
Mark 10:45 “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
The Secret to real happiness is:
1. You’ll never find happiness by looking for it.
2. Forget your own need for happiness.
3. Live to make others happy.
4. As you live for others, you’ll find happiness.
Question: Are you living for others? Let’s pray. Maybe God has spoken to you about an area in your life to work on? Marriage, church, home?
