If You're Happy and You Know It...

O Lord almighty, happy are those who trust in you. 

Psalm 84:12

If you’re happy and you know it, Clap your hands -

If you’re happy and you know it, Clap your hands -

If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it

If you’re happy and you know it, Clap your hands -

You know the rest. I just read about a survey that asked Americans if they would say they were very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy. The survey noted that people who attended church were more than twice as likely than their secular counterparts to say they were “very happy.” And . . . secular people were nearly three times more likely to say they were “not too happy.”

We know it is not the fact that we walk in the doors at church that makes us “happy.” It’s the One we come to worship who makes us happy. We also know that God created us to need Him, and we cannot be satisfied in this life without Him. How many secular songs have you heard where the musician describes his longing for something he has not found in fame or money? That longing is the need for the Lord.

But . . . Does the joy of the Lord shine on your face? The joy of the Lord is in YOU! I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them (John 17:13). Sometimes our feelings are dependent on the circumstances around us, which is understandable. But our joy is only dependent on the Lord. Sometimes the joy of the Lord is the only reason we can stand through difficult circumstances.

What about through our day-to-day activities? Does the joy of the Lord show on our faces when we are treated badly by others? Do we allow daily frustrations to get us down? Your kindness and smile may be the difference between you and the rest of the world. If we are not joyful, what makes us any different than “secular” folks?

Do we have to clap our hands to let the world know we are happy? I don’t think so. Are you happy that the Lord is saving you, changing you, and living in you? I know the answer is YES. Let’s let our faces SURELY show it!

Julie Smith