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The Unexpected Door to Joy

    1. How would you define happiness? What words, feelings, or images come to mind when you think about being happy?

    2. Describe a time in your life when you were happy. What made this a happy time?

    3. Identify a time in your life when you were unhappy. What made this an unhappy time?

    4. Assess your current happiness level. Do you feel happy most days, some days, or hardly ever? Why? What is the primary source of your happiness or unhappiness?

    5. Max writes, “Worldwide, people profess that happiness is their most cherished goal” (p. 4). Is this true for you? Why or why not?

    6. This chapter includes several startling statistics regarding the current state of happiness in our world:

        Only one-third of Americans surveyed claimed to be happy.

        Clinical depression is ten times more common now than it was a century ago.

        The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020 “depression will become the second leading cause of disease worldwide” (p. 5).

        •  Do these statistics surprise you? Why or why not?

        •  Are you currently dealing with depression, or have you ever struggled with depression? If so, how would you describe that journey?

        •  Has a close friend or family member ever been challenged by depression? What did you observe as you walked with this person on his or her journey?

        •  Why do you think depression is so common today?

    7. Max describes the “front door to happiness” as something that advertisers sell: wealth, appearance, sex, and possessions (p. 6).

        •  What front-door promises of happiness have you bought into in the past?

        •  Did those promises deliver what you wanted? Why or why not?

        •  Which front-door promises are you pursuing today?

        •  Are they delivering what you hoped for? Why or why not?

        •  Over your life—childhood, adolescence, adulthood—how has your quest for front-door happiness changed?

    8. Fill in the blanks. The motto on the front door to happiness is “Happiness happens when you           .” The motto on the lesser-used door to happiness is “Happiness happens when you           .”

        •  What was your reaction when you first read the motto for the lesser-used door?

        •  Do you agree with it? Why or why not?

    9. Toward the end of the book of Acts, when Paul said farewell to the church in Ephesus, he told them, “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). The Christian life is full of paradoxes like this. Read Matthew 5:1–12. The Greek word translated as blessed can also be translated as happy. With this in mind answer the following questions.

        •  According to Jesus, who are the happy people?

        •  What does this passage tell us about God’s idea of happiness versus the world’s idea?

        •  Have you ever encountered someone who by worldly standards did not have what a person needs to be happy—wealth, prestige, or beauty—and was happy nonetheless?

        •  Why do you think he or she was so happy?

        •  How did interacting with that person affect you?

  10. Max points out that Scripture describes Jesus as joyful, the type of person people liked to be around and the type of person who was always up for a party.

        •  We often describe Jesus as wise, truthful, sacrificial, and loving, but have you ever described Jesus as happy, as a person who smiled, laughed, and enjoyed parties?

        •  How do you react to the idea of Jesus being happy, attending parties, smiling, and laughing? Does it make you uncomfortable? Why or why not?

        •  What made Jesus happy?

  11. Fill in the blank: If we are going to find true happiness, we must            it away.

  12. Max lists ten “one another” verses that can teach us how to give happiness away and experience it for ourselves as a result.

Encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11).

Bear with one another (Eph. 4:2).

Regard one another as more important (Phil. 2:4).

Greet one another (Rom. 16:16).

Pray for one another (James 5:16).

Serve one another (Gal. 5:13).

Accept one another (Rom. 15:7).

Admonish one another (Col. 3:16).

Forgive one another (Eph. 4:32).

Love one another (1 John 3:11).

        •  Of these ten “one another” verses, which one do you believe you do best?

        •  Which one do you most need to work on?

  13. Where would you most like to see a “quiet revolution of joy” break out—in your home, community, workplace, or the nation? Identify which “one another” verse you could use to help start that quiet revolution.