Tag Archives: the Beatitudes

Blessed, Not Necessarily Happy

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Matthew 5:1-20; Luke 6:20-26

I finished my time in Galatians yesterday. I loved spending time in that letter, seeking God’s heart through Paul’s words. But this morning I went to my bookcase to look for my next study and found a book I’ve had for a while but never read, written by Oswald Chambers entitled, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount; God’s Character and the Believer’s Conduct. (Oswald Chambers Publications Association Limited; updated in 2026) That got my attention. So for the next few days or weeks, I will be looking at Jesus’ sermon and considering Dr. Chamber’s take on it.

I have always heard that the beginning of Jesus’ sermon contains the Be-Attitudes we Christians should have in all circumstances, that IF we are happy in hard times, THEN God will bless us. But I’ve always wondered that if that were the case, what does it say about Jesus? He got angry. He was sad. He was impatient and discouraged at times. Would He tell us to do something He Himself didn’t do?

Of course not.

Dr. Chambers got me thinking about something maybe you’ve always known but I’m still figuring out. These verses express God’s view of us, not our view of ourselves. It’s not that Jesus is telling us to be happy when we are broken, but rather we can rejoice in our position as children of God that results in: comforting in sorrow, the filling of the Spirit, the ability to see God’s hand at work, the assurance God cares for us and is preparing a place for us. No matter the situations we face, God blesses us with Himself.

I think Jesus is telling us that when we go through hard times, we can be assured our Heavenly Father wraps His arms around us and becomes everything we need to get through. I wonder if we can read these verses as though God is speaking:

You are blessed WHEN your spirit is broken BECAUSE of the confidence you have in the fact that you belong to Me no matter what.

You are blessed even WHEN you are in mourning BECAUSE you know that I am your comforter.

You are blessed WHEN you humble yourself before Me BECAUSE I can use you to reach the world.

You are blessed WHEN you want more of Me BECAUSE of my promise to will fill you to overflowing.

You are blessed WHEN you show mercy to others BECAUSE it’s My mercy you are revealing.

You are blessed WHEN your heart is pure BECAUSE you then can see My hand at work in every aspect of your life.

You are blessed WHEN you are a peacemaker BECAUSE that identifies you as My child.

You are blessed even WHEN you are treated unfairly because of your love for me BECAUSE you have confidence in the fact that one day I will usher you into My presence forever.

If we read the Beatitudes and tell ourselves our attitudes during hard times are tied to God’s blessings: the If… then interpretation, I think we will be discouraged. I don’t think that was Jesus’ intention. But if we read them as reminders of God’s favor, His precious blessings on us as His children, I think it gives us reason to get up in the morning and face even the most difficult day. God’s blessings are contingent on His character. Whew!

Now in Matthew 5:11-12 Jesus reminds us we do have reason to be happy and rejoice, not as conditions for blessings, but because we are so blessed by God. No matter what happens as a result of our commitment to God, even if we are treated unfairly, we are not alone.

And one day we know we will see Him face to face as He welcomes us into His forever kingdom.

Hallelujah!

Matthew 5:1-12; The Beatitudes Are Not About Happiness

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I have read these beatitudes more times than I can count. Even today, as I read the Sermon on the Mount, I blew past these verses without giving them much thought. “Yeah, yeah. People who are “poor in spirit” are happy. People who “mourn” are happy. People who are “meek” are happy. And so on, and so on…”

I pulled out my commentaries, fully intending to write a post about the whole sermon Jesus shared, when God threw a wrench into my plans through William Barclay. This is just too important not to slow down and feast on Jesus’ own words.

It was enlightening to read what Barclay revealed about the word Jesus used for “blessed.” It’s not about happiness at all! In a nutshell, the Greek and Hebrew translation boils down to this: “Oh the blessedness of…” (The Daily Study Bible Series; the Gospel of Matthew volume 1, Revised Edition; William Barclay; 1975; The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA; page 88)

Jesus wasn’t saying that if you experience these things, He would give something to you. He was saying:

“O the bliss of being a Christian! O the joy of following Christ! O the sheer happiness of knowing Jesus Christ as Master, Savior and Lord!” (Barclay, p. 89)

It’s not about what God gives as much as who I am in Him. So, using Barclay’s insight, here is what God spoke to me today through His Word:

  1. O the bliss of knowing I am lost without God, that I am utterly helpless in and of myself, that I am totally dependent on the One who is totally capable!
  2. O the bliss of being broken over sin, of realizing what my sin cost Jesus, of repenting, of laying my sins at His feet and being totally forgiven. O the blessedness of mourning the sins of the world, and wanting others to know His forgiveness, too.
  3. O the bliss of turning my emotions, my actions, my very being over to God and allowing Him to control those things in me. O the bliss of recognizing my ignorance and weakness, and allow Him to be my knowledge and strength.
  4. O the bliss of being totally, completely filled by God Himself, and understanding that every longing, every need, every hope and dream are perfectly satisfied in Him. O the bliss of being to the point of desperation, empty, barren, and then filled to overflowing by the Presence of my Savior and God.
  5. O the bliss of setting myself aside, and really seeing other people, really getting into their skin, really feeling their emotions, and really being what they need me to be – not what I need to be for them, or what I think they need. O the bliss of putting others above myself for Jesus’ sake.
  6. O the bliss of pure motives, the ability to see God in every situation, in every breath I take. O the bliss of not always seeing the seedy side of things, or getting a chuckle out of the filth that exists in the world, because my eyes are on a holy, pure, and perfect God alone. (Barclay says its the bliss of a clean heart, (p. 105) and reminds me we “see what we are able to see” (p. 107). I can see the filth of things if that is what I’m looking at. I don’t see the filth if I’m looking at God. O the bliss!)
  7. O the bliss of making peace, not by tolerating, condoning, or ignoring sin, but by facing it, calling sin sin, then leading sinners to repentance. O the bliss of making peace between myself and God, and by making peace between my lost friends and family with God through the blood of His Son.
  8. O the bliss of being singled out for being a follower of Jesus. O the bliss of losing a job, a relationship, worldly comforts or freedom for Jesus’ sake. O the bliss of sharing in His suffering if it will lead one soul to the Savior.

You’ve probably heard it said that this portion of Jesus’ important sermon are “attitudes” the we should “BE.” After spending a few hours thinking about these verses, I’m inclined to agree.

Reading these beatitudes challenges me to be the person Jesus died for me to be. And it helps me know that there is a joy that comes from being that person, a joy the world can’t understand or manufacture. O the bliss of knowing Jesus.