To Get Happiness, Give Your Life Away

by Rick Warren — June 9, 2022
From The Habits of Happiness

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:21 (NIV)

Happiness comes from serving and giving your life away. Until you understand this, you’re going to struggle to be happy in your life. Happiness comes from self-sacrifice, not self-gratification. 

The Apostle Paul could say that he was happy because, even in the dark times of his life, he was giving his life away to help others.

Can you say that about your life? You’ll never be able to say that when you are living for yourself, because you’ll never find happiness in status or salary or sex. 

Paul knew that to be happy, he had to stay focused on his purpose and not his problems. He sums up his purpose in Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (NIV).

If you were asked to fill in the blank, what word would you use? “For me, to live is ______.” Would it be entertainment? Sports? Clothes? Family? Friends? A career? You could fill in that blank with a lot of things that are not bad, things that are good in and of themselves. But nothing deserves the place of the One who created you and gave you your life: Jesus Christ.

How you fill in that blank will determine how happy you are in life. If you answer “money” or “success” or “pleasure” or “power,” you are going to be unhappy for most of your life. The issue isn’t whether there’s something wrong with those things; they just don’t deserve first place.

You weren’t created to make a bunch of money, then die and have it given away. God has a far greater purpose for your life.

There is only one answer that leads to happiness: To live is Christ.

To get the life you really want, give your life away.

Talk It Over

  • What are the good things that you’ve focused your life on that are not your ultimate purpose in life? How would you fill in the blank?
  • Why does serving others help you when you are going through a painful time?
  • What are some specific ways you can “give your life away” in service to others today?

If you've never opened your life to Jesus Christ, you’ll never find the direction or have the joy that comes from a relationship with him.

You don't need to know what's going to happen tomorrow. You don't need to know what the future holds. You just need to know who holds the future! When you have a relationship with your Creator, you'll have the security of his unwavering love and unbreakable promises.

If you want to begin an intimate, forever relationship with Jesus, pray: “Dear God, I want my security to be in something that cannot be taken from me. I want my security to be in my relationship with you, as I trust in your promise to never leave me. I want to claim that promise today. As much as I know how, I open my life to you, Jesus Christ. I confess that I have lived life my own way and sinned against you. Please forgive me, come into my life, change my priorities, my values, my purpose, and my direction. Transform me into the person you want me to be as I submit my life to you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at [email protected]and let me know. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.


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