31 Days of Devotions: Day 1: Happiness vs. Holiness

                                         Day 1: Happiness vs. Holiness

1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

 

The passage above in 1 Peter refers to Leviticus 11:44-45, where God says to the Israelites that God’s people (which includes us, now that we are grafted into the vine) are to reflect God’s character in our lives. We are to be sanctified, which means set apart. This is a command, not a suggestion.

There are many lies out there that Satan uses to keep us from “being holy,” a few that come to mind:

1.     If I’m not happy, then God must not love me. God doesn’t promise us happiness; in fact, quite the opposite. Paul tells us in Philippians 1:29-30 and Romans 8:17 that suffering is a privilege we share with Christ. Happiness is subjective, not objective. Our circumstances can change our happiness. What we should be seeking is Holiness, because Holiness produces Joy. Our joy is found in Christ. We can be joyful in our suffering, no matter what that may be, because our Joy comes from the Lord.

 

1.     My past defines me, and God doesn’t want me if I’m not pure. In John 4:1-17, we find the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. The Jews of Jesus’ time considered Samaritans “Second-Class” citizens. They were the result of Jews breeding with other people groups. This woman was also a prostitute. Jesus stopped, spoke to her, and shared how to have eternal life. Think of other stories, Zacchaeus, a tax collector, and Matthew, a tax collector. These were the lowest of the low. Abhorred by the Jews of Jesus' time. Yet Jesus stopped, made time to care for them, and called them to follow Him. There is nothing that you have done in your past that is irredeemable.

 

1.     I am alone, and I’m the only one who struggles with____. If we look at Hebrews 4:15, we can see that this is simply not true! Jesus was tempted in ALL of the ways that we are tempted. All sin can be classified into three categories: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Jesus had to be tempted with those things, or else how could he be our “Great High Priest” who was tempted and remained sinless to atone for our sins? In Matthew, we see that Jesus' three temptations encompass all sin. Also, remember that in Ecclesiastes 1:9 the Scripture says, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”

 

1.     I have to be perfect. Remember Paul? You know, the author of the majority of the New Testament? In Romans 7:18-20, he says this: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”

 

Scripture includes examples where followers of Christ did evil things, such as King David, who committed adultery and arranged a murder to cover it up. Yet, God called him a man after His own heart because David genuinely repented and asked for forgiveness. This shows that Jesus' sacrifice is not a free pass to sin. Instead, when you repent, ask for forgiveness, and turn your life over to Christ, God no longer sees your sin—He sees the righteousness of Christ.

 

These are just a few of the lies Satan tells us, which we readily believe. I would even venture to say that we want to believe them because God’s love and free gift could never be free. That’s too simple, right? Wrong. Ephesians 2:8-9 has this to say: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not that of yourselves: it is the (Free) gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (emphasis mine) It is free to us, but it isn’t free. Jesus gave His life to pay the cost of our sins.

 

 

We often mistake happiness for the solution, but happiness is temporary, disappearing as soon as circumstances or the weather change. In contrast, joy comes from holiness, from being set apart, and from understanding that, unlike happiness, your joy cannot be stolen. Our joy is rooted only in Jesus.

 

Questions to reflect on:

1.     If God sees me as perfect because He created me, and He sees Christ when He looks at me, who am I to see me any differently? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.      

3.     What lies does Satan tell about me that I believe and tell myself? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.     Can I commit to giving myself positive affirmations every morning? Many are in scripture. Write them on 3x5 cards or in a small notebook. When negative thoughts creep in, read and say them aloud. A friend once suggested writing a simple prayer on a card to stick on my mirror so I could pray it while getting ready for the day:

“God, please help me to see myself the way you see me, please help me to love myself the way you love me.” I did this every day for I don’t even know how long and guess what: I don’t have to read it anymore. It immediately pops into my mind when I get up, and when I’m struggling, my thoughts turn to that prayer to God.

 

 

Prayer:

Dear Father God, please help me to resist the lies of the devil. Please help me see myself the way you see me and help me love myself the way you love me. In Jesus' name, Amen.