Here is a brief, practical way that describes the process. You go from “I don't need it,” to “I don't want it,” to “I can't stand it,” with the ultimate reason being because God’s not in it. It takes time. And in the process, you begin to discover something. It is a truth that makes all the difference. Here it is: Repentance toward holiness is not an awful process of losing your happiness. True holiness brings true happiness. And that is the truth.

Nothing can make you happier than God. This is where faith comes in, because the world, your flesh, and the devil try and convince you otherwise. They try and deceive you into thinking that holiness means no happiness. The truth is that holiness means you find new reasons for happiness. And being happy in Jesus and the things of God, this is how you find true joy, without having to find some temporary fix or sinful coping mechanism.

The word “serve” in vs.9 is from a Greek word that means slave. People are slaves to their idols, and they become slaves of Christ. It is a continual process of dropping other things that you fear losing, or fear not having, or fear that you won’t be happy without. And Jesus becomes the ultimate thing in your life, the thing that everything else revolves around, the thing that matters most, the thing you can’t live without, the thing you find your significance, satisfaction, and security in. Instead of being a slave to some dead thing you’re a slave to the One who is Life itself. And your holiness brings you happiness. Especially when life is hard.

Get that truth down into you: holiness can make you happy. When nothing else can. When everything else goes wrong. When you’ve messed everything up. That’s what happens when you turn around from your idols to serve Jesus. The more you truly do it, the happier you’ll truly be. And remember that this is a process. Be patient. It is worth it.

Your greatest rejoicing is not about how far you’ve come or how fast you’re going. It is not how successful you become or how gifted you are. Your greatest joy is that you are written in the book of life. That you are saved.

Salvation isn’t just about knowing it intellectually. Salvation is about living it experientially. Having joy in your salvation is about meditating on it with

your mind, which leads to experiencing it in your life. And you can have joy even in hard situations when you find your joy, not in your situations, but in your savior. If you are a Christian, God has made you holy by setting you apart for himself in Jesus Christ.