Pastor Rick's Daily Hope

--Pastor Rick Warren--

Hello everybody. Thank you so much for joining us here on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope with Rick Warren. Well, today we're continuing in this timely series called Strategies for Stressful Times. In this series, Pastor Rick shares timeless truths from God's word that will help you manage stress, overcome worry, and experience the peace and stability that only God can provide. And let's get right to Rick for the final part of a message called, How to Be Happy No Matter What Happens.

Now, the fact is, the more blessed you are in life, the more you're going to be attacked. Sometimes I'm asked by people about the people who criticize me. And my response is always, what is this? What other people think of me in no way controls what I think of them. And I don't have to worry about it.

You know, a lot of times you're worried about what other people think. Let me tell you something, they're not thinking about you most of the time. They're thinking about themselves, so why worry about it? Philippians chapter 1, verse 28, verse 28 in the same chapter says this, Be fearless. Be fearless, no matter who opposes you. It will be a sign to them of their downfall and that God is with you and that he's going to save you.

You know, I can identify with this. After Matthew died, we were subjected, Kay and I, to the most vile accusations and things, and criticisms, and armchair psychology, and people used Matthew's death to really try to harm us. And they said some of the most mean-spirited thing. And yet we made it through, and then I I actually, after we went through that gauntlet of months, six months of it, I really thought, is that all you got? Is that the worst thing you can say?

And I remember telling Kay one time after going through all of the criticism, after Matthew's death, was to honestly, I said to her, Kay, honestly, I feel fearless. I feel like I've been through the worst possible situation and the worst criticisms and attacks you could imagine, and I'm still standing by God's grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit. And I feel fearless. What more can they do?

And it almost, it didn't completely cure me, but it almost cured me of caring about what other people think. Jesus said it like this, when he gave the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, he said, blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. He said, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.

In other words, don't worry, be happy. Now, Paul explains why you can be happy no matter what. In verse 29 and 30 of Philippians chapter 1, he says this. For you have been given, you, Christians, you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for him. Did you know that's part of being a Christian?

The privilege of trusting Christ, the privilege of suffering for Christ. We are in this fight together, the Bible says. You have seen me suffer, Paul's talking. You have seen me suffer for him. Remember, he's in prison as he's writing these words. You've seen me suffer for him in the past and you know that I'm still in the midst of a great struggle, I'd say.

What do I want to say on this second point summed up is this. If you live for the approval of other people, you get your happiness from the approval of other people, whether it's likes on your Facebook page or how many people give you a thumbs up on your Instagram or whatever. If you live for the approval of others, you will die by their disapproval.

Okay? That's the wrong way to find happiness. You have to learn you don't need anybody else's approval to be happy. You are as happy as you choose to be. First Thessalonians 5:18. No matter what happens, that's the theme of this message. No matter what happens, always be thankful. For this is God's will for you who belong to Jesus Christ.

Notice, this is God's will. You want to be in the center of God's will, always be grateful and thankful even no matter what happens, no matter what other people say, what other people do. Okay, now let's review. I've already given you two principles. You can be happy no matter what happens in your life, if you choose to do two things. The first, remember that God can bring good out of anything. That's Romans 8:28. And so you look at the situation with faith, not fear.

Just start saying, God, help me to look at everything that happens in my life with faith, not fear. Look at problems, look at pain, look at people, look at pressure, with faith, not fear. And then number two, never let what other people say, or what other people do, control your attitude. These are powerful. We could just stop right there.

But Paul has two more keys to being happy in life no matter what happens. Third, number three, I can be happy no matter what happens if I choose to, write this down, trust God to always work things out. That's the third key. I must trust God to always work things out, whether it's pain or pressure or problems or people. This is the third faith factor in happiness. You're going to either worry about what's happened in your life, or you're going to worship. You're going to panic or you're going to pray. You're going to have faith or you're going to have fear. This is verse 19 in Philippians chapter 1.

He says this, I will continue to rejoice. Now, circle again the word will, if you're taking notes on the outline. That's a choice. It's a choice of the will, it's a decision. I will continue to rejoice, why? For I know that as you pray for me and as the spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, all that happened will all turn out for my deliverance. Remember, he's writing this from prison. He has no physical evidence of this. This is a statement of faith, not of fear.

Now, in that verse I just read, if you're looking at it still, Paul gives four sources of strength in tough times. I want you to circle these four sources. First, I have God's perspective on my problem. That helps me to be happy. Notice it says, for I know, circle the word know. That's God's perspective. I know. I don't guess, I don't imagine, I don't hope, I don't think. I know I have God's perspective. I'm looking at my situation, the pain, the problems, the pressures, the people. I'm looking at it from God's point of view.

I have God's perspective on my problem. I know. Second, I have people praying for me. Did you notice that's circle the word pray. You're praying for me. That's that gives makes me happy. Number three, I have the Holy Spirit helping me. He says, I've got the Spirit of God in me. And then number four, he says, I have the faith that God will work it out for good. Therefore I choose to be happy. He says, I will. That's a choice.

Now, trusting God when you don't see the whole picture, and you can't see the end of the story, trusting God gives you hope. It gives you courage, and it gives you happiness. Look at the next verse there in Philippians chapter 1, verse 20. It is my eager expectation, that's faith, and hope, that's hope. It's my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed, remember he's in prison as he's writing this, but that with full courage, now as always, Christ will be honored in my body. Whether by life or by death. He says, I don't know the end of my story. I don't know if I'm going to get out of this prison and be a free man again or if they're gonna, you know, feed me to the lions or I'm gonna be set in with gladiators or I'll just be hung or crucified. He said, I don't know, whether by life or death, I am trusting God.

I love this verse, Hebrews 10:35 there in your outline. It says this in the Living Bible, Do not let your happy trust in the Lord die away. Do not let your happy trust in the Lord die away. Don't let it fall away, no matter what happens, he says, remember your reward. That's long-term perspective. Short-term, I see all the problems and the pain and the pressures and the people. Long-term, I see the reward. Don't let your happy trust. Circle the word phrase, happy trust. Happiness and trust go together. If you don't trust God, you're going to be fearful and unhappy for most of your life. You must choose to trust God, just like you have to choose to be happy. And no matter what it looks like.

So, let's just review now again. I can be happy no matter what happens in my life if I, one, choose to remember that God can bring good out of bad, out of anything. God can bring good out of anything. God specializes in that. If I look at every situation with faith, not fear, would you start saying, God, help me to look at every situation with faith, not fear. If I never let what other people say or do control my attitudes, and if I trust God to always work things out. I know this is not the end of the story. Some of you, you're at the end of a chapter in your life, but you're not at the end of your story.

Now finally, there is a fourth principle in this Philippians chapter 1, powerful passage on how to be happy. Finally, I can be happy no matter what happens in my life if I choose to do this four thing. Number four, write it down. Stay focused on my purpose, not my problem. Stay focused on my purpose, the purpose of your life, God's purpose for your life, not your problem. Now again, remember what Paul is experiencing as he writes these words. Paul is old. He's in bad health, his body aches. He's in a dank, dark, depressing Roman prison in a dungeon. He's awaiting death by persecution or execution. They've taken away everything, they've taken away his freedom. They've taken away his friends. They've even taken away his privacy. He's chained to a guard 24 hours a day. He doesn't even have any privacy. But they couldn't take away his purpose. God's purpose for his life. And that's why Paul says this in verses 22 to 25 of Philippians chapter 1.

He says, if by continuing to live, I can do more worthwhile work for Christ? He goes, if I continue to live and I can do more worthwhile work for Christ, then I'm not sure which I should choose. He says, I'm pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ, talking about in heaven, which is a far better thing. No more sadness, sorrow, sickness, tears, suffering. I want to very much to leave this life and be with Christ. It's a far better thing. But, he says, for your sake, it's much more important that I remain alive. Then he says, I am sure of this. So I know that I will stay on with you all so I can add to your progress and joy in the faith. He says, the reason I'm here is not for my benefit. The reason I'm still here is for your benefit. I'm writing these letters to all the different churches, which became the New Testament, so I can add to your progress and joy.

Now, notice here, Paul has a purpose. Very clear. He even explains what his purpose is. He says, I'm I'm living for your benefit and for the glory of God. But Paul has a purpose not just for living. Paul has a purpose for dying, too. He says, I really don't know whether it's better for me to stay here or to go on to heaven. Listen, you're not ready to fully live until you know clearly what you'd die for. What are you willing to live for? What are you willing to die for?

Paul says, on earth, my purpose is to serve God by serving others. After I die, my purpose is to be with God forever in heaven. And Paul is saying, I just stay alive for the sake of others. Wow. He says, you know, selfishly, it'd be better for me to go on to heaven. No more problems, no more pain, no more no more pressures, no more picky people. Now, don't miss this fourth secret principle of happiness. I'm going to say it as clearly as I can say it. Happiness does not come from self-gratification, living for yourself. Happiness does not come from selfishness. It doesn't come from living a self-centered life. All about me, me, me, myself and I, the kingdom of me. Happiness never comes from selfishness. Happiness doesn't come from self-gratification. Happiness comes from self-sacrifice.

Living for the benefit of the glory of God and in order to serve others. Now Paul sums up his entire purpose and the entire reason he is happy regardless of what happens in his life. He sums it up in a single sentence. One of the most famous sentences in the Bible, Philippians chapter 1, verse 21. Paul says it here. Here's my purpose. He's purpose-driven. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. For me to live is Christ. And to die is gain. I'm going to go be with my Savior, who died for me, who loved me, who created me, who filled me, who had a purpose for my life. For me to live is Christ. For me to die is gain. I'm not afraid of death. It's where I want to be. I don't want to live on a broken world for the rest of eternity.

Now let me close and wrap this up by asking, how would you fill in the blank for me to live is? What would you put as the last phrase? For me to live is my hobby? For me to live is my sport? For me to live is to make more money? For me to live is to get a house, to have nice things? For me to live is a promotion? How would you fill that last line? For me to live is the approval of others? For me to live is sex? For me to live is getting married? For me to live is becoming well known, be known as a success?

Friends, and I'm sharing my heart with you right now, how you fill in that blank will determine your happiness for the rest of your life. For me to live is. And until you're able to say the right thing there, you're going to have a lot of misery in your life because all of those other things lead to unhappiness ultimately. There's only one answer that leads to happiness no matter what happens. Are you ready to settle this issue today and get on with the rest of your life, to make the rest of your life the best of your life?

You got to fill in the blank correctly for me to live is. What's going to be the answer for the final years of your life? However many years that is. 50 years, 70 years, 10 years, one year. For me to live is. I want us to bow our heads right now. Would you bow your head? And I want you to pray this prayer in your heart. Okay, just say, Dear Jesus, he knows your thoughts, he knows what you think, say it in your mind. Dear Jesus, you know that I often let my circumstances determine my happiness. Just say that to him. Tell that to God. Be honest to God. God, I've often allowed the killjoys of pain and problems and pressures and picky people to rob my happiness. But I don't want that to be true anymore. Starting today, I want to practice these four principles of how to be happy no matter what happens. The secrets that Paul modeled.

Help me to remember that you have a good plan even out of the bad things that happen in my life. That you can turn bad into good. Help me to remember that your viewpoint is the key. Help me to look at everything in my life from your perspective. I want to be a wise man, I want to be a wise woman. And I want to handle the situations that come into my life that in a way that is a witness to non-believers and is an encouragement to believers. Father, help me to remember that what other people say and what other people do does not control my happiness unless I choose to allow it. And help me to remember that things that I don't understand and things I can't figure out, I don't have to have the answer to trust you. I want to trust you to work it all out for good.

And help me to stay focused on your purpose for my life, not my problems. I want to use the rest of my life in serving you by serving others. And then I want to be with you in heaven for eternity. So, from this day on, I'm going to fill in the blank. For me to live will be Christ. Just say that to him. For the rest of my life, I want the answer to be for me to live is Christ. I know he is the ultimate source of happiness.

I ask you, Jesus Christ, to take over every area of my life. Guide me and lead me. Protect me and use me. In your name I pray. Amen. Hey, if you just prayed to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, awesome. Congratulations. And we would love to hear from you and send you some free materials to help you know him better. So email Rick@pastorrick.com. That's Rick@pastorrick.com. And now let's end our time with a letter from one of our listeners.

Here's a note that I got from a woman named Becky. She said, Pastor Rick, the Daily Hope Ministry has truly helped me in many ways. I attend church on a regular basis. However, the Daily Hope broadcast has taught me so much and I can honestly say that I never miss one of those Monday through Friday morning quiet times listening to Pastor Rick's teaching, growing closer to the Lord, and applying what he's taught me through his messages. I am blessed beyond measure and I absolutely love the way the Lord is using Pastor Rick to reach out and teach Christians and non-Christians as well. One day I believe,