Holiness makes us happy. The closer we draw near to the Lord our God, the happier we become. We were made for Him and are fashioned in our characters and personalities to be His friend. Everything in us cries our for Him, but we mistake it for something else. We do not believe that our Lord Jesus can actually make us happy. We think only in terms of this world and we need the accoutrements of this life to make us feel good. We need entertainments and treats and good things to eat and wear. We can leave our Bible reading and prayer, because it is not a necessity to us.

Only when God brings us to the end of our own puny resources and shows us our rampant sinfulness, and the blazing glory of the Lord Jesus, do we finally see our need of Him, constantly. Walking with God in holiness is a constant activity. We know this, but don’t really want it because we will have to leave off the things that we do and follow God’s way, not our own. We think this will be uncomfortable, and we will seriously miss out on life. This is a lie from the devil and from our own sinful mindset. We are easily duped about holiness because it is not our native sphere.

It is a sphere of great blessing and daily communion with the Lord our God. It is a life of supreme privilege to be permitted to walk and talk with the King of all Kings on a daily basis. We should rejoice at the access we have to His holy throne and keep ourselves in the love of God so that our privileges stay with us.

Holiness begins in the will, the desire of the mind. It is a mindset that will seek the Lord and practice to be like Him in all circumstances. It is a holy desire given by the Spirit of God, for in our natural selves we do not have this desire. It begins in the will and the mind and works through our life as we live it for Christ. Only as we strive for holiness are we truly fulfilled and happy.