One of the questions that I often ask people is, “What would it take for you to be the happiest person alive on the earth?” I often ask myself that question as well. I ask Patty periodically, “What one thing could I do that would move you to being the happiest wife alive?”

Joy and happiness are what we all want more than anything else: just to be happy. But, the problem is that we don’t know what it would take to be ultimately happy, and if we had a clue, we wouldn’t know how to get that thing, which would be the joy of our life. When surveys are taken, the most often given answer is good health; if I could just feel good and have energy, I would be happy. Another top answer is good relationships with family, marriage, friends, and work. If I really felt loved and accepted, then I would be a very happy person. Some also would say that success in life would bring a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that would make life great.

A few people are bubbling over with joy because they have discovered the source of supernatural joy.

Psalms 21:6 For You make me most blessed forever;
You make me joyful with gladness in Your presence.

God gives joy; he gives a little to some people, more to others, and a lot to a few. God has conditions on His gift of joy. If you meet the conditions, He will give and give.

Condition #1. Don’t grumble and complain about anything; God always gives joy to those who rejoice and thank God for everything, good and bad.

Condition #2 Ask God for joy. God loves to give joy to those who seek it from Him and not the world. The emotion of sadness is genuine, and often, we don’t even know what brought it on or how to get rid of it, but acknowledging to God that we are down and would He please give us some joy is a healthy thing in our walk with God.

Condition #3 The Bible repeatedly says, “In God’s presence is fulness of joy.” The Bible also says that if we seek Him we will find Him, and if we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. The best way to seek God and draw near to Him is to faithfully practice the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, gathering with other believers, and worship.

Condition #4 Recognize and acknowledge that trials and tribulations are good things God uses to make us holy and like Himself in character. James 1:2 says, “Consider it all joy when you have trials knowing that they make us perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Condition #5: Acknowledge that life is hard, full of tough things that steal our joy and make us sad. That is the way God created life; it is supposed to be like that, but heaven is coming, and then we will have the ultimate joy beyond our ability to comprehend now. It is amazing how meditating on heaven will fill our hearts with joy despite circumstances.

Pigs enjoy wallowing in the mud, and it seems some people enjoy wallowing in their misery. Those who seek joy in the right places will have it, but those who don’t, won’t.