Are you happy? We used to sing a song in Kindergarten,

“I’m in-right, out-right, up-right, down-right, happy all the time!”

How about being happy all the time? Not too many of us manage that, do we? Even Pollyanna found a time when her endless good cheer ended!

But one thing is for sure: whatever happiness you have found in your life has come as a result of forgetting yourself and reaching out to help others. The person who is the most involved in serving self is always the most miserable.

“It is in a life of service only that true happiness is found. He who lives a useless, selfish life is miserable.” – In Heavenly Places, p. 229.

“Those who labor hardest to secure their own happiness are miserable. Those who forget self in their interest for others have reflected back upon their own hearts the light and blessing they dispense to them.” – Ibid. p. 325.

One of God’s goals for His people is that they are happy. Sometimes religionists have overlooked that fact and thought that the one who wears the dark clothes and the solemn expression is the one who is closest to God. But that is not the case. While it is true that there is more to happiness than the froth and glitter portrayed by the advertising people, it is also true that Christians are to be the happiest people in the world.

The story is told of a sober and somber “Christian” who tried to share his faith. And his friend replied, “I don’t think I want to become a Christian. You seem to me to be like a man with a headache. You don’t want to get rid of your head, but it pains you to keep it!”

What is it about our human reasoning that causes us to think that the times when we are closest to God are the times when we have to be the most solemn? Have you ever looked around you during the Communion Service at church? It’s a service intended and designed to be a celebration of sins forgiven and the assurance of peace with God. But don’t you dare smile! If you do, you’ll be the only one!

Sometimes I have tried to convince people that it’s not a sin to smile during the Lord’s Supper–but I’ve never been very successful. As the deacons pass the emblems up and down the aisles, the atmosphere is very close to that of a funeral. Some of us are tempted to smile at the sober faces around us, but we quickly get the victory!

The Communion Service is to be a joyous experience! The worship of God is to be a joyous experience! The service of God is to be a joyous experience. Christians should be the happiest people in the world–and one major reason that can be true is that the genuine Christian is always thinking of others, reaching out to others, and thus losing sight of self.

And this reaching out to others inevitably brings blessing upon the one who does the reaching out.

“Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” Mark 8:35.

To give is to gain.

“Those who minister to others will be ministered unto by the Chief Shepherd. They themselves will drink of the living water, and will be satisfied. They will not be longing for exciting amusements, or for some change in their lives. The great topic of interest will be, how to save the souls that are ready to perish.” – The Desire of Ages, p. 641.

Are you happy? Or are you miserable? Your involvement in blessing others makes the difference.