Following their banishment from Eden’s bliss, God blessed Adam and Eve with two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain was a tiller of the ground and Abel a keeper of sheep (Gen. 4:1-2). While both of them offered sacrifices to God, only Abel’s offering was accepted. Cain’s was rejected (Gen. 4:3-5). His anger greatly kindled against his brother, Cain seized an opportunity and murdered Abel in cold blood (Gen. 4:8).

Often lost in the circumstances surrounding this first murder is a statement by God that reveals the secret of genuineness happiness. When Cain realized that God had rejected his sacrifice, the Bible says that the firstborn son of Adam and Eve “was very wroth, and his countenance fell” (Gen. 4:5). To this angered man God said, “Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up?” (Gen. 4:6-7a). Had Cain been living harmoniously with God’s will there would have been no reason for him to be downcast. God directly connected a lifted countenance (happy disposition) to a faithful life.

How do you characterize your life? Do you consider yourself to be happy? Is your life a joyous, contented and pleasant existence? Or do you find that your “countenance has fallen?” If you see that you are leading a generally unhappy life, the answer may lie in your relationship to God. If you are not faithfully serving the Lord, and you know that you’re not, life can be miserable. On the other hand, no greater joy exists than the joy of knowing that God Almighty finds pleasure and happiness because of your life.

“Happy are the people whose God is the Lord” (Psa. 144:15). “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Psa. 146:5). “Whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he” (Prov. 16:20). “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law” (Prov. 29:18). “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight...” (Ecc. 2:26).

One of the constant desires of mankind is to find genuine happiness. People look for it in money, drugs, sexual promiscuity and a host of other places. Yet, true happiness is found only one way — by living life God’s way.

Eddie Parrish