Are you happy?

Richard Wurmbrand was a preacher who was arrested in 1948 when the Communists wanted to take control of the churches in Romania.

Richard suffered 14 years of imprisonment and torture for the cause of Christ. Here's what he says about happiness:

"It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted the communists' terms. It was a deal: we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching. They were happy beating us. So, everyone was happy!"

Pastor Wurmbrand patiently endured suffering. His happiness didn't come from the personal enjoyment of suffering and being reproached. It came from the taking pleasure in reproaches for Christ's sake. (2 Cor 12:10)

1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Richard Wurmbrand was happy to make Christ known to lost souls who needed Jesus! Greater happiness comes when someone can make Christ known in the midst of unwanted and unwarranted persecution.

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Most of us, who are blessed to live in America, can thank the Lord that we will never have to go through the type of Christian persecution that Wurmbrand went through.

So, the question for the day is: Are you happy!