In the Sermon on the Mount, the emphasis is upon the internal, not the external. Jesus starts with what you are, not with what you necessarily know or do. So with respect to happiness is not put on a happy face, but put in a happy heart.
First of all, true happiness is found in humility. This is found by possessing a spirit of dependence, being “poor in spirit.”
Poor speaks of one who crouches and cowers, hence beggarly. He is someone who is dependent on others for support. In Matt 5.3, “The poor in spirit are those who consciously depend on God, not on themselves.” They are “poor” inwardly, having no ability in themselves to please God:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. ((2 Chronicles 7:14))
Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD. ((2 Chronicles 34:27))
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. ((Psalm 34:18))
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. ((Isaiah 57:15))
When your heart is humble, God gives you his all (His kingdom). I am talking about being humble enough to receive Christ, humble enough to depend upon Christ, humble enough to admit you are wrong and humble enough to admit you are needy.
It is in humility of heart that you find true happiness.
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