|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Can People Be Happy Without God? |
|
| |
Yes, I think people can be happy and not have Jesus in their lives. Yes, they can be decent, moral, loving people without Jesus. They can be successful and prosperous, rich in wealth and blessings, and still not have Jesus. They can go to church and pray regularly, even read the bible, and still not know Jesus personally. They can even appear to be a Christian, but still not have Jesus in their hearts.
I think we all know someone like this. They can have a decent life, and still not be "religious". They can look like, act like, and seem like a Christian, but not have that personal relationship with Jesus.
They are just actors playing a part. So how do you know that you are a Christian? How do you know others are?
I guess that is something that only an individual and God can know for sure. I even thought that I was a Christian at one time, only to find myself doing things that even the worst of sinners shouldn't be doing. I know now, after accepting Christ and being baptized, that I really wasn't a Christian before. Now I feel His presence with me, I feel Him in my heart, I want to please Him with the things that I do. I carry on a conversation with Him throughout the day. I read the bible and study it daily, because I want to know Him better. I know He is my Lord and Savior, and I know where I will go when I die. I didn't have all of that stuff before, so I wasn't serious about my faith. Now I am.
There is no wrong or right "Recipe for Being a Christian". But to truly be one, I think we have to give up ourselves for Him, and concentrate on pleasing Him, doing for others, letting Him be in control of every aspect of our lives, and not complain. I know some people who are grudgingly Christians, who do things not because they want to but because they have to. I admit to doing that myself at times. But if everything you do for the Lord is done grudgingly, that isn't going to make Him happy is it? He prefers a cheerful giver! When He is in our hearts, we can pray for Him to give us the strength we need, in order to do the things we need to do. And He will give us the desire to do it, whether it is a pleasant task or not.
Yes, people can have a decent, happy life without Jesus. Sometimes their lives might even be easier without Jesus, because living a life for Him is not easy. But for me, being a Christian who has a personal relationship with Jesus, I can't imagine living my life without Him. I can't imagine thinking that once this life is over, that is it. I can't imagine getting through the tough times in life without Him as my strength and guide. I might be blessed with lots of "things" but without Jesus, they would just be things...there would be no meaning behind them. No purpose in living each day. And that to me would be terribly sad.
So can people be happy without God? Perhaps, but if they don't know they are missing Him, they don't know what they are missing. That is why it is so important to tell everyone we meet about the reason for our joy.
1 Peter 3:15:
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...
|
|
| To leave a comment or start your own blog: |
 |
or |
 |
Already a member? Login |
|
|
|
|
| The "gentleness and respect" thing often gives people away as either Holy Spirit-filled or merely deceived. Wow, gentleness and respect, what an awesome way to be!! And Deb, you are that and more! Great blog! ~mike |
|
|
Deb |
 |
December 27, 2007 at 7:49am |
|
| Mike, thank you for your kind words. |
|
|
Deb - sure, people can be happy without God. Most Christians had OK lives without God. Many people have WORSE lives with God. Does that sound crazy? The thing is, in this world of diet fads, Dr. Phil's and Extreme Makeovers, people want a quick-fix, a 'make everything rose colored and pain free and effortless". It's the 'modern message' that make Christianity sound like any other religion, any other 'self-help
' guru's plan for a happy life. But what happens when it's not? People leave - or backslide, as it were. People want to speak about God and Jesus and all the positives - all the warm and fuzzies of it. But try telling a person with 12 cars, 3 houses, and more money than all the the mychurch members that they "need God" to be fulfilled and they'll laugh in your face. We don't NEED Jesus for what He can do in this life (though He can give us so much and work through us). We need Him so we don't burn in hell suffering our just punishment for sinning against Him. Anything less that preaching the TRUE gospel, and you might as well call up Oprah and ask for your own TV show - it might help in this world, but you'll have HELL to pay in the next. The Gospel is my self-help book, and I do think there is a RIGHT way to be a Christian - and God made sure that it was written out 2000 years ago. Do we fall short? Yup. We did, we do, and we will - but we are SAVED and will be forgiven if we PUT ON CHRIST and believe in Him and the power of His blood to wash away our sins. Great blog. |
|
|
Deb |
|
December 27, 2007 at 8:41am |
|
| GrowingInFaith, loved all your comments! I agreee that if a person has so much stuff in this life, and we tell them they need God, they will laugh at us. A person can only know they need God, when they are broken in this life. We do need Him, at least I do, in this life, because I don't think I could get through the day without Him. But more importantly, I need Him for the next life, because I don't want to go to Hell, I want to be with Him in Heaven. Thanks for all your comments! |
|
|
Lourdes |
|
December 27, 2007 at 8:56am |
|
People without Jesus might be happy, but they can't be joyful. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit only obtained by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as a savior and living a Spirit-filled life.
Happiness is short lasting, but joy is everlasting!!!
Good blog ;-) |
|
|
Deb |
|
December 27, 2007 at 12:17pm |
|
| Lourdes, you said...Happiness is short lasting, but joy is everlasting!!! I can think of no better way of saying it. You hit the nail right on the head! |
|
|
Cheryl |
|
December 27, 2007 at 12:53pm |
|
| I love this...gentleness and respect shows love, Christ's love. A true holy spirit-filled person will show this no matter what. Tests tell. Dumping on someone or thinking someone should carry YOUR feelings about something they can not emotionally handle (self-control~fruit of the spirit!)even if it is presented in love and peace will tell. I love your sweet spirit-filled blogs. Thank you and Happy New Year! |
|
|
Deb |
|
December 27, 2007 at 1:20pm |
|
| Cheryl, most of the time I think you can tell when someone is truly being sincere about their faith. At some point in life, their true colors will come out. |
|
|
| Amen! Thank you for yet another spirit filled blog. I truly enjoy absorbing them. |
|
|
Cheryl |
|
December 27, 2007 at 1:33pm |
|
Deb, you are right! |
|
|
| This is a great blog,this has giving me some food for thought.I've been a christian for most of my life.I took it for granted that God would be there for me when I decided to come back after disobeying Him again.Yes even I being a christian have strayed from the Faith.But then I realize upon returning that my life is never the same when I leave the father to follow after my own desires.For those who have strade away there is hope.All we have to do is repent.Repent means to turn and change direction.That means turn back to God and get going in the right direction again. |
|
|
| Great blog Deb! I echo what Lourdes said. |
|
|
I was saved, but then i got into paganism. Every one at school thought I was a Christain and some one I've know for four years had such a goofy, shocked face I couldn't help but laugh at them. |
|
|
Deb |
|
December 27, 2007 at 2:11pm |
|
Cheryl, thank you for your kind comments! I am glad you enjoyed the blog!
Maddie, we can always start over again with Christ. Isn't that a wonderful feeling? We are always going to mess up. But, this time around, for me at least, I am trying to stay closer to God than ever before, and not let down my guard for one second, because Iknow that is all it takes for the enemy to jump in and try to mess me up.
Vanilla, I am hoping that you are back to being a Christian again :) We can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but we can't fool God.
|
|
|
Very good blog Deb, and lots of great comments.
I think some people may have a perceived happiness without a relationship with Jesus. Keyword: Perceived.
Something is their God. Whether it's money, or power, or fame, or some other false God, they are worshipping something whether they realize it or not. The true test of that happiness is when something goes wrong in their life. Maybe they go bankrupt, or fall prey of a terminal illness. Perhaps they go through a devastating divorce or heaven forbid, become addicted to some life deteriorating drug. Then where is there happiness? False gods are not going to be there for them in those rough times.
But for those of us who have an intimate relationship with our Savior. nothing can ever separate us his love. Life can't. Death Can't. Demons Can't. Angels Can't. Fear Can't. Worry Can't. No power above the earth or under the earth can! And like you inferred, there is no way you will ever have a revelation of the depth, width, and height of that love without a personal, and committed relationship!
Happiness is a choice, and I choose the God who will never leave me nor forsake me!
Thanks Deb!
Oh yeah, and what Lourdes said! |
|
|
| It is so easy to be in the pit of self deception and play church.It's a scary place to be becasue you never even realize you're trapped.You think you are doing all teh right things,saying all the lingo,carrying your Bible to church,but you don't have the relationship.You wonder why you are feeling trapped even though you may be relatively happy,it's because you don't have joy that caomes from the relationship with God.I believe there are more self deceived Christians than Christians that are living in defeat,because they just don't know. |
|
|
Deb |
|
December 27, 2007 at 4:35pm |
|
DC, I seemed to have missed your comment earlier...sorry about that! Thank you for echoing! lol
Michael, thanks for all of your great comments. You sound like you speak from experience, which I guess we all do, because before we were Christians, something was our god. And happiness is a choice, and like you, I choose God!
racunpoodle, you sound as though you speak from experience too! I know I went to church for many years, and did not have a personal relationship with God. I didn't know I didn't have it until I did find it, and now I know what I was missing before. Thanks for your comments. |
|
|
Misse |
|
December 27, 2007 at 5:40pm |
|
| This is so true, for such a long time I went to church did what I thought as a christian should do, but I did not know my father. He even put me in situations so I would be able to let him do what he needs to do as my "daddy" and I didn't get it. Finally one day I was sitting in church and I found out this is not what I wanted out of God. So I went further into the word of God and found out who he really is. I was taught that I couldn't talk to him or he would kill me and as a child that was very scarry. More like God can kill you any time he wanted. I didn't want anything to do with him and that stayed with me for such a long time so I went for years not knowing who he was. Now I have such a wonderful relationship with him. He talks to me and I can talk with him, he's not scarry anymore he's very gentle and loving and soft spoken to me. I did finally took up the cross and followed him totally and died to myself, that was very tough but now I wouldn't have it any other way. Very good blog Deb, it makes you think about your relationship with the father. |
|
|
Deb, I have to agree with Cheryl and Mike on this one--about the gentleness and respect shows love, Christ's love. I also have to agree with Cheryl that your blogs do show this gentleness and respect! I do love your blogs and they always do give me something worth thinking about! Keep up the great blogs! I think people can appear happy and even think they are--without Christ--but when they do get a really close relationship with HIM, then they KNOW what real peace and happiness is.  |
|
|
Procyon |
|
December 27, 2007 at 7:41pm |
|
Deb, I wish more Christians knew what it is to be born again, to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. To be 'captured by Christ', Phil 3.12. I pray that God will use you as one who shines brightly in this dark world, Phil 2.15. And through a spirit of gentleness and love, at the same time being very firm about your faith, you will draw many to Christ. Ultimately, every believer comes to a point where it is 'absolute surrender' to Jesus Christ our Lord. |
|
|
Vanilla - are you saying you're no longer a Christian? Not sure where you're going with your comment. Are you saying it's funny to deceive people? Or are you saying that people can't 'read' someone by outward appearance? I think you need a little more explanation to your post |
|
|
Deb |
|
December 30, 2007 at 11:22am |
|
Misse, I can relate to being afraid of God the Father. I was also taught as a child to fear God, that He would kill you or do something bad to you if you did anything wrong. It took a long time for me to understand this is not the image I should have of God. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm glad we both have found the true Father.
Yahschild, thank you for your comments...I agree, that people can think they have a relationship with God, until they truly do and can see that there is definitely a difference!
Procyon, you said ulitimately, every believer comes to a point where it is 'absolute surrender' to Jesus Christ our Lord. I could agree with this more.
|
|
|
You sound like me: I professed Christianity throughout my life, and never realized how I had never been saved til I got saved! I know ppl who are "happy" without Jesus...not real lasting joy as we know it to be, but happy......even like Mormons....my aunt's family are, and they are amazingly wonderful ppl! BUT the devil already has them deceived, so he doesn't have to bother them. All the better if the Mormons make the true believers look really really bad! Yeah, we gotta work out our own salvations with fear and trembling. |
|
|
Deb |
|
December 31, 2007 at 9:54am |
|
| Lara, yep, we have to work out our own salvation. God will give wisdom to us if we just ask. But how many people know to ask? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
back to top
