“Blessed are they who walk in the way of the Lord” (Psalm 119:1).

I read a story that happened during the 1700’s. A family was in church, and their ten-year-old daughter got the giggles. In spite of her parents’ warnings and threats, she couldn’t stop laughing. The family was kicked out of the church and could never return. Who knows what happened to that little girl when they got home.

For some reason, our ancestors, and even some of us today, believe that church is a place for solemn, dreary faces. Perhaps it is because we see God that way. But think about it. Is God happy? I believe that He is. He is not happy in the sense that most people think of happy, as having good fortune that keeps them smiling. Our God is happy in that He is content.

Most people think of happiness as getting their way and having what they want. If that doesn’t happen, they are sad. However, sadness is the result of sin. True sadness comes when we disobey God and reap the consequences.

One Greek word for happy is makarios, which in most versions of the New Testament is translated blessed. In nearly every place where it is used in the New Testament, the idea is we are blessed because we can rely on God and His guidance and care. Blessedness is obeying God and doing His will.

When we are God’s children, we can have joy and be truly happy. I’m not saying we should get the giggles during worship service. Things should be done decently and in order. We should show proper respect for our God and for those leading the worship. But let’s not have any dour faces. Let’s show the joy and happiness we feel because we belong to God and we can rest in His love and care. Nothing external can take that joy from us.

Hymn: “Unto Thee O Lord”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we always remember that to have the peace that passes understanding, we must obey You and rely on You. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Donna Wittlif is the author of Christian fiction for young adults and adults. Her new book Finding Her Heart is about a young woman who is heartbreakingly lonely. Is it because she has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome? See how God helps her find true love. www.donnarwittlif.com