You’re as Happy as You Choose to Be

Few things rob your happiness faster than being criticized or feeling like others are working against you. Why? Because we all want to be loved. We all want approval. We all want people to like us.

Yet Paul says in Philippians 1:18, “It does not matter! I am happy about it—just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy” (GNT).

You don’t need other people’s approval to be happy.

You’re as happy as you choose to be! If others are unhappy with you, that’s their choice. If you haven’t earned someone’s approval by now, you’re probably not going to get it. And you’re going to be miserable if you try to live for the approval of everybody else.

Paul later explains in verses 29 and 30 why you can be happy no matter what: “You have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it” (NLT).

Paul says it is a privilege to suffer when you’re doing the right thing because you’re most like Jesus when you face opposition and rejection.

You can be happy no matter what happens if you look at every problem from God’s viewpoint and never let what other people say or do control your happiness.