Act Happy and Then Be Happy

Do you believe that if you act happy it will lead you to be happy?  How about if I told you about a Bible story that validated that idea?  Now certainly I would not state this as a perfect formula for happiness, but rather an important piece of the puzzle to being happy. 

In Acts chapter 16 Paul is thrown in prison for proclaining the news of Christ.  That sure doesn’t sound like something that would produce being in a good mood, and chances are Paul probably wasn’t happy about the turn of events.  Yet we read starting in verse 25 the following, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.

Why were they singing and praising God?  They had been unjustly thrown in prison for serving God.  Unless you are crazy that does not make you happy.  But Paul and Silas decided to praise the Lord in spite of their circumstances.  I seriously doubt they were actually happy when they started singing.  Instead they acted happy.  This is different that “putting on an act”.  It is intentionally, willingly choosing to act happy even when you are not happy.

The result was that the prison was shaken and the doors and chains that were keeping them captive were opened.  You can draw your own analogy from that one pretty easily.  The further result was that when the prison guard was going to kill himself out of fear of what would happen to him when it was discovered his prisoners all escaped Paul and Silas were able to witness to him.  An even greater miracle then occurred when the prison guard and all his family weer saved that day.  Now, Paul and Silas had a reason to be happy.

Acting happy will not always function as cause and effect to be happy but it is very much an important part in actually being happy.  Don’t wait until you are happy to act happy.  Act happy first and let it lead to being happy.