Happiness in Ministry

Are you happy in serving God? Does your answer depend on what is happening in the church or in your life this week? Is your contentment a roller coaster ride?

In his book Ten Philosophical Mistakes, Mortimer Adler argues that happiness should be defined on the basis of a whole life. If you think of happiness as momentary you may confuse it with pleasure or excitement, which pass quickly. Adler notes that the ancient Greek philosophers held an ethical definition of happiness. They generally saw happiness as doing what is right and good and noble to achieve satisfying ends. A runner can be happy about a race that he is running at his very best, even though his limbs ache and his lungs are on fire as he pushes himself toward the finish line.

Being happy in ministry may be one of the most attractive works the Spirit of God produces in your life. But how can you be happy when the race is long and the mission is difficult? The Bible's answer is joy. Only joy can turn difficulty into happiness.

An important distinction between joy and happiness is that joy relates to an active verb. Joy is an action you can take. You must simply be happy or contented. But you can choose to rejoice. The Bible commands us to rejoice in all circumstances.

That kind of joy comes from deep conviction. Are you convinced of God's truth? Do you trust God's great love? We rejoice because we know Him. Knowing God turns failure into blessing, loss into grace. Most of us know powerful examples of joy in the midst of personal loss and despair. Such joy is available to every Believer. We can rejoice because we know that a Sovereign God loves us infinitely.

Matthew 5 gives us another word, "blessed." Blessedness depends on the direct intervention of God in my life. We are blessed even when we mourn, because God will comfort us. We are blessed although we are poor or persecuted, because we know God will reward us. I am blessed no matter what happens in my ministry. I win even when I fail, because God is God.

Paul and Silas sang in the dungeon in Acts 16? They knew the joy of the Lord that Nehemiah said was our strength. The power of that joy was even greater than the earthquake that broke the prisoners' bonds. Their joy had touched every prisoner in the jail. When the jailer drew his sword to take his life, Paul cried out "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The prisoners who heard them sing had not fled. I want my joy to touch hearts like that.

Psalm 100:4 calls us to "Enter his courts with praise." I begin my devotional times with praise and worship. I have been desperate to take a painful need to God, but found my prayer completely changed because I rejoiced. Sometimes I can't see any good in my situation. In those times I have to begin by faith. "Lord, I know You are going to deliver me, even though I don't see how." "I know You are working in my life, because You promise." "I know You are going to bless me in this trial." "I trust You, even though this problem is my own fault."

Are you happy in your ministry? True happiness rests on the bedrock of joy. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)