Happy (μακάριος) means “to be happy”. It is an attitude of enjoyment and pleasure arising from a sense of well-being and contentment.
In most English translations, the word “blessed” is used to translate μακάριος (happy). However, the English word “blessed” carries the meaning of receiving Divine favor, a person who is fortunate, or something that is consecrated. Thus, it does not properly convey the meaning of μακάριος (happy).
When Jesus addressed the believing Jews concerning His Kingdom and the coming tribulation period, He outlines in the Sermon on the Mount several conditions they would face during their time in the wilderness. Yet, they could remain happy because the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.
Happy are the poor in spirit because the kingdom of the heavens is concerning them—Matthew 5:3.
These individuals are happy because they are lacking(poor) in spirit. A phrase referring to their lack of understanding concerning what the man of lawlessness is doing in Jerusalem as he desecrates the Temple of God (Daniel 9:27).
Within the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages those who mourn, have an objective mind, hunger and thirst after righteousness, have a pure heart, are peacemakers, and are persecuted and reviled for righteousness (Matthew 5:4-12). Even though they will go through the troubles and out casting of Israel, they can all have happiness.
When the Messiah returns, He will rescue the Jews in the wilderness and establish His kingdom. In His kingdom, the nation of Israel will serve as priests to the Gentile nations, living in peace within the promised land, as righteousness rules in Christ’s Kingdom.
When it comes to the Christians and happiness, we are not to take the promises to Isreal and allegorize them to apply to the Church. The Church has its own distinct promises that bring happiness.
Our happy hope is the appearance of our great God even Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). This happy hope is the rapture—the day when Christ returns to take His Church home (1 Thessalonians 4:16). On that day we will be like Him (1 John 3:2) and will forever be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Do we have faith? Remember, faith is based upon accomplished deeds that God has done through which we have promises—not a made-up belief based upon our desires or wishes (Hebrews 11:1). How we serve God matters. Some believe what they eat and drink matters, where others do not. If we truly are taking God at His Word, then happy is the one who is not judging himself in what he approves, (Romans 14:22), for he will eat and drink with a good conscience.
Although Thomas saw Christ after His resurrection and then believed, those who do not see Christ and believe will be even happier (John 20:29).
As a result of Christ’s resurrection, by which we are proven to be righteous before God in Christ, our lawless works have been sent away—forgiven—bringing happiness. Happy is the one whose lawlessness is forgiven and to whom the Lord does not impute his sin (Romans 4:7-8).
We can even find happiness when facing temptations—solicitations to do something that lacks in character—by overcoming them. This victory does not come through self-effort but by taking God at His Word and using the defense He has provided for us in Christ against the enemy who is the source of the temptation (James 1:12).
Even when we suffer for doing what is right and others spread lies about us because we refuse to associate with their wrong actions, we can be happy for it is a thing of grace to be reproached for Christ, (1 Peter 3:14; 4:14).
Those who stop living by the Royal Law—Mosaic Law—and instead living by the law of Liberty, the law of the Spirit that sets us free (Romans 8:2), are happy. They are a doer of the Word, not merely those who only listen (James 1:25).
God is a happy God (1 Timothy 1:11). He has given to us all things pertaining to life and godliness so that we, too, can be happy. This happiness does not come from fulfilling fleshly desires but from how we use what God has given us through salvation. By living out the life we now have in Christ, we will be happy in any situation we face.
The things pertaining to life and godliness that we have in salvation, will produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives. If you are not yet experience this true happiness, the way to gain it is by taking God at His Word and applying the Spiritual riches we have in salvation.