Philippians 2:12

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. ... And if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. And for the same reason, you be glad and rejoice with me.

Real happiness isn't a miracle spray—it's a discipline you have to work out.

Everyone Wants Happiness—But No One Wants the Diet

One of the benefits of belonging to a church family for a long time is that you build memories and friendships that become as close as blood relatives. Some of you have been here fifteen years or more, and you know that in that time I've changed—and not just by aging. Fifteen years ago I weighed 300 pounds, and from December 2000 to December 2003 I lost 125 pounds, going down to 175.

While I was losing the weight, people would come up with an interested look and ask, "How did you do it?" They were hoping I'd say I found a miracle spray that kills the calories in your food, or a magic medication that melts weight while you sleep. Their faces fell when I told the truth: I ran my butt off, I changed my diet, and I exercised a lot. People don't want to hear that, because we've all tried and failed.

I think the same is true about happiness. Everyone wants to be happy—we live in a nation that highly values the pursuit of happiness. And it's not far off to say that God Himself desires that we would be happy. Jesus said in John 15:11, "These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full." In John 10:10 He said, "I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly."

Happiness Exercises

So here's the question: if we all want to be happy, and if Jesus even desires our fullness of joy, why are so many people not happy? In our series through Philippians, Happy and You Know It, we come today to Philippians 2:12-18, and we find some important truths about happiness. But like my answer about the weight loss, these truths may change your expression from anticipation to disappointment—because they involve exercises toward happiness. Some of these are the biblical equivalent of spiritual crunches. So put on your spiritual stretchy pants; we're going to do our CrossFit of happiness.

Happiness Is a Discipline: Obedience and Integrity

It would be nice to wake up tomorrow and discover you'd inherited a fortune overnight, or that you'd suddenly become eternally happy. But the odds are about the same as winning the Powerball—slim to none. As it relates to happiness, however, there are exercises laid out in Scripture, and the first is this: happiness is a discipline.

That discipline takes obedience. Paul says, "as you have always obeyed." Underline always and obeyed. The Philippians always obeyed. If you and I are going to experience peace, joy, and contentment, one key is that we obey. Will we obey perfectly? No—we all fall short. But Scripture tells us to target total obedience as our goal. God knit us together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139—a good Mother's Day verse). He is the original equipment manufacturer; He made us with an optimal working condition and gave us a user's manual. When we obey His instructions, we experience the joy of using the equipment the way the manufacturer intended.

That discipline also requires integrity. Paul says they obeyed "not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence." The Philippians didn't need apostolic oversight or a spiritual trainer to keep them obeying—they obeyed when Paul was there and when he wasn't. Parents understand this joy. When another adult tells you your children were polite and well-behaved at their house, that's a delight. Third John 4 says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." Paul received word that the Philippians kept walking in obedience even in his absence—they had integrity.

Happiness Is Hard Work

Happiness is not something we stumble into; it requires disciplined, hard work. Paul says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." I'm grateful it does not say work for your salvation, but work it out. The New Living Translation puts it well: "Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear." Salvation is a free gift from God, but if you want spiritual six-pack abs, it takes effort, obedience, and integrity even when no one is watching.

And it gets harder. Verses 14 and 15: "Do all things without complaining and disputing." How many of you totally failed at that this week? Synonyms for complaining are grumbling and murmuring. I've been reading through Numbers this year, and Numbers 11:1 says, "Now when the people of God complained, it displeased the Lord." I can guarantee you will never experience joy while being displeasing to the Lord. A life full of complaining will cost you your happiness. We often think we complain because we're unhappy, but frequently the grumbling comes first and leads to unhappiness.

"Without disputing" means without arguments. Moms, how overjoyed are you when your kids aren't arguing—even if it only lasts twelve seconds? Recently I've come upstairs at home to find Ethan and Addison coloring together and actually sharing crayons. It doesn't last long, but there's no arguing, and it's a beautiful thing.

Notice the result: "that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault." As you do these spiritual exercises, your strength increases. Blameless means undeserving of criticism. Harmless means innocent or simple—the same Greek word Jesus used in Matthew 10:16, "be wise as serpents and harmless as doves," and the same word Paul used in Romans 16:19. How do we become blameless and harmless? Live without complaining, without arguing and disputing.

Happiness Grows Through Sacrifice and Service

In verse 17 Paul adds two more exercises: "if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all." Happiness grows through faithful sacrifice and service.

These spiritual crunches don't just happen—just as you'll never grow strong or toned without a good diet and exercise routine. The joy of Christ will not be part of your life until you joyfully sacrifice and serve other people. That's why Jesus taught it is more blessed to give than to receive. Paul told the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 8 that even though the Macedonian churches—including Philippi—had nothing to give, their joy increased as they sacrificially gave.

These things aren't easy. Hebrews 12:11 says, "No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful." Yesterday I got on the treadmill, and the only time I was joyful was when it was done. Yet the verse goes on: "later on, though, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those that have been exercised by it." Sadly, many people, in and out of the church, don't do the things that lead to happiness. Which means if you will do them, verse 15 will be true of you: you will shine as a light in a dark world, a beacon of Christ-centered joy. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Working these things out increases our joy and His glory.

God Is Working in You

As I meditated on this passage, I had to admit something: sometimes I don't want to stop complaining. Sometimes I like to argue. Sometimes I just don't want to do the hard things Scripture says to do. So how is it possible? The answer is nestled right in the middle of this passage in my favorite verse in the whole Bible.

Verse 12 says, "work out your own salvation"—not your neighbor's, not your spouse's. Verse 13 explains how: "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure." The New Living Translation says, "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." Earlier I said you'll never experience abundant joy while displeasing the Lord. I also guarantee this: you will experience abundant joy as you do what pleases God—that's what He created you for.

God is working in you, Christian, to desire and to have the power to obey, to have integrity, to sacrifice and serve without complaining. But notice—it still says "work out your own salvation." He is giving you the desire and the ability; now you have to step up and decide. Philippians 1:6 already assured us that "he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." So He will finish the work. The question is whether I will make the choice to willingly walk in obedience by the strength He supplies. God is working in you so that you can work this out. None of these happiness exercises are possible apart from His saving work in us through the cross.

Hold Fast to the Word of Life

One final key enables all of this. Verses 15-16 speak of shining as lights, "holding fast the word of life." Virtually every exercise routine has equipment—resistance bands, special shoes, weights. This routine is no different, and the equipment is the word of God. Holding firmly to the word isn't just a tight grip on your physical Bible; it's reading it, studying it with purpose, memorizing it, meditating on it, and making it part of your life. As I take up the equipment God supplies, I'm enabled to obey, to have integrity, to sacrifice and serve without complaining.

How do I know? Turn to Psalm 19, written by King David about three thousand years ago. In verses 7-11 he uses many synonyms for God's word:

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward.

If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, you won't just stumble into it. Yes, Jesus made the abundant life available through the finished work of the cross. He said, "It is finished." The opportunity for maximal, increasing, eternal joy is available—Psalm 16:11 says, "In your presence is fullness of joy and at your right hand pleasures forevermore." But we still need to work out our salvation, because happiness is hard work and a discipline. The spiritual crunches are obedience, integrity, sacrifice, and service without complaining or arguing. And as we work these things out by the power of God working in us, I can say with absolute certainty from God's word that your joy and abundance of life will increase. The word of life will bring joy to your life. So hold firmly to God's word.

Closing Prayer

Lord, we thank you for your word, which is living and powerful. We thank you that by your word your servants are warned, and in the keeping of your word—obedience with integrity—there is great reward. So God, I pray that my brothers and sisters here would experience the great reward of your word this week. And God, if there are any here today who have not yet experienced the joy of salvation, would you draw them to yourself to put their trust, their confidence, their faith in you, Jesus, that you did the work, you accomplished it on the cross, and you rose from the dead to declare it is reality. Draw them to yourself. Today we praise you and thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.