It's a common theme in the world: how can I be happy? Now, I know you are about to tune me out. You're thinking, "Here we go. Another Christian telling me why the Bible says I should be happy." You've probably heard that spiel before,and yet still aren't happy with you life. Therefore, I am not going to write that same stuff you have read before...that is, not only that stuff.
As I have written before, I attend the University of Kentucky, and our fall semester is wrapping up. I had my final Psychology 100 lecture today, and it was a curious subject. The entire lecture was on the topic of happiness. Having grown up hearing the "Jesus version" of how to be happy, I was intrigued by what my professor had to say. Anything he says will be printed in yellow font, so as to distinguish from my own.
As the Christmas holidays approach, we all know about the stuff that comes with it. I don't mean things like trees, reindeer, fudge and sweaters; I mean the literal stuff. The presents. You know you want 'em. What did you ask for? A laptop? iPad? A smartphone? These things, among others, are often the reasons why people are looking forward to Christmas. No, I'm not going to tell you that the manger is the "reason for the season." Not today. Instead, I have another point.
While there certainly is nothing wrong with the things I listed above (I am writing this on my laptop, and my iPhone is beside me- I am not here to judge), we often get caught up in these things. It really all boils down to what stuff you want.
If I asked you today "what is your main goal in life?," you would probably respond (at least within a few answers) with "being happy." This is fairly common: studies in psychology have shown that happiness is one of the main goals in people's lives. When asked how to get to the point of happiness, many people respond with "being well off financially." Studies show that being taken care of does raise happiness. However, there is more to it than that.
One classic study taken asked 18-year-old men "what is your life goal?" They responded as I said above: they wanted to be happy. Many stated that money would be how to achieve this. Later, when the men were 37, they were all brought back in to check on their life. The results were interesting. Those who had said that financial wealth was the key or a key to them being happy in the future were less happy than those who had left money out of the equation.
More studies have shown that more than half of America's "wealthy" adults are not reportedly happy. In fact, people with lots of money are shown, statistically to be only slightly more happy than someone who is struggling to meet their needs for survival. Those people that win the Powerball lotto and have $76 million dollars? Within a year or so, their happiness level is back to where it was before winning the money.
Money has shown to bring some happiness. For instance, someone whose needs are being met are statistically happier than someone who isn't. This is a given. No one who is starving- literally- is as happy as someone with food in their belly. However, if you live in a wealthy nation (like the United States), and are middle or upper class, gaining more income is unlikely to increase your happiness. Further, desiring large amounts of money is likely to hinder your chances for happiness.
The Bible spoke against the desire for money long ago:
But the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. -Mark 4:19
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? -Mark 8:36
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. -James 5: 1-6
You see, the Bible knew about how money wouldn't make you happy a long time ago. But maybe your vice isn't money. You know money won't make you happy. So, maybe you have something else. Here's some facts:
-After cosmetic surgery, people often (and quickly) return back to their former level of happiness.
-People who live in "good weather states" (Florida, California, South Carolina) are statistically equally as happy as people in "bad weather states" (Washington, Michigan, Massachusetts).
-Promotions, success in sports, and tenure at a university are proven not to give as much happiness as we think it would.
These stats show that things of this world cannot bring permanent happiness. Sure, they will make you happy for a while. If an iPad dropped into my lap right now, I'd be happy about it. But the time is going to come (sooner than later) that I will be back to where I was with happiness that I was before the iPad materized before me. So how do we achieve real happiness that will last? These are the words of my professor:
1. Find ways to express gratitude and show acts of kindness
-This is central to the Christian lifestyle.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. -Colossians 3:12, New Living Translation Bible
Christians are to display the love of Christ, and being thankful to all, as well as doing things for others, are great ways to do this.
2. Avoid overthinking- focus on the positive instead of the negative.
-This is also key. Without a positive outlook on life, you will be a miserable motor scooter. We are not to focus on the bitter point of view, but instead on the good of life. Paul said,
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted... -Ephesians 4:31-32.
Focusing on the little things of life can help: the beautiful sparkle of snow is a far better thing to thing of than how cold it is outside; why think of how hard the test you are studying for or the job you have to do at work is when you can be grateful that you can go to learn or work, and that you are likely in a building, sheltered from the outside, being fed and taken care of?
3. Learn to forgive.
-Hands down, this is the hardest thing for most of us to do. Our instinct, as human beings, is to hold grudges. Getting revenge makes us feel good. We think, "Ha! Payback sucks! I'd like to see you do that to me again!" But, the truth is, does it really make you happy in the end? I vote not. I happen to know that everytime I have wanted revenge, or even extracted it, that I am not happy for very long afterward. Sure, it feels good at the time to "get them back," but it wears off. Just like winning the lotto, these pleasures of the world do not give everlasting happiness.
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. -Colossians 3:13
I am going to add one more way to be happy: dig into God's Word and let the Holy Spirit consume you. The Bible, in the Book of Galatians, discusses the "friuts of the spirit." These are different qualities that someone that filled with the Holy Spirit would show. The first listed is love; joy is second. Clearly, having happiness is high on God's priority list for you, and He wants you to have it.
Are you trying to find happiness in the world, where it is proven to be temporary? Or are you searching for an eternal happiness in a God that wants you to be happy forever?
As I have written before, I attend the University of Kentucky, and our fall semester is wrapping up. I had my final Psychology 100 lecture today, and it was a curious subject. The entire lecture was on the topic of happiness. Having grown up hearing the "Jesus version" of how to be happy, I was intrigued by what my professor had to say. Anything he says will be printed in yellow font, so as to distinguish from my own.
As the Christmas holidays approach, we all know about the stuff that comes with it. I don't mean things like trees, reindeer, fudge and sweaters; I mean the literal stuff. The presents. You know you want 'em. What did you ask for? A laptop? iPad? A smartphone? These things, among others, are often the reasons why people are looking forward to Christmas. No, I'm not going to tell you that the manger is the "reason for the season." Not today. Instead, I have another point.
While there certainly is nothing wrong with the things I listed above (I am writing this on my laptop, and my iPhone is beside me- I am not here to judge), we often get caught up in these things. It really all boils down to what stuff you want.
If I asked you today "what is your main goal in life?," you would probably respond (at least within a few answers) with "being happy." This is fairly common: studies in psychology have shown that happiness is one of the main goals in people's lives. When asked how to get to the point of happiness, many people respond with "being well off financially." Studies show that being taken care of does raise happiness. However, there is more to it than that.
One classic study taken asked 18-year-old men "what is your life goal?" They responded as I said above: they wanted to be happy. Many stated that money would be how to achieve this. Later, when the men were 37, they were all brought back in to check on their life. The results were interesting. Those who had said that financial wealth was the key or a key to them being happy in the future were less happy than those who had left money out of the equation.
More studies have shown that more than half of America's "wealthy" adults are not reportedly happy. In fact, people with lots of money are shown, statistically to be only slightly more happy than someone who is struggling to meet their needs for survival. Those people that win the Powerball lotto and have $76 million dollars? Within a year or so, their happiness level is back to where it was before winning the money.
Money has shown to bring some happiness. For instance, someone whose needs are being met are statistically happier than someone who isn't. This is a given. No one who is starving- literally- is as happy as someone with food in their belly. However, if you live in a wealthy nation (like the United States), and are middle or upper class, gaining more income is unlikely to increase your happiness. Further, desiring large amounts of money is likely to hinder your chances for happiness.
The Bible spoke against the desire for money long ago:
But the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. -Mark 4:19
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? -Mark 8:36
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. -James 5: 1-6
You see, the Bible knew about how money wouldn't make you happy a long time ago. But maybe your vice isn't money. You know money won't make you happy. So, maybe you have something else. Here's some facts:
-After cosmetic surgery, people often (and quickly) return back to their former level of happiness.
-People who live in "good weather states" (Florida, California, South Carolina) are statistically equally as happy as people in "bad weather states" (Washington, Michigan, Massachusetts).
-Promotions, success in sports, and tenure at a university are proven not to give as much happiness as we think it would.
These stats show that things of this world cannot bring permanent happiness. Sure, they will make you happy for a while. If an iPad dropped into my lap right now, I'd be happy about it. But the time is going to come (sooner than later) that I will be back to where I was with happiness that I was before the iPad materized before me. So how do we achieve real happiness that will last? These are the words of my professor:
1. Find ways to express gratitude and show acts of kindness
-This is central to the Christian lifestyle.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. -Colossians 3:12, New Living Translation Bible
Christians are to display the love of Christ, and being thankful to all, as well as doing things for others, are great ways to do this.
2. Avoid overthinking- focus on the positive instead of the negative.
-This is also key. Without a positive outlook on life, you will be a miserable motor scooter. We are not to focus on the bitter point of view, but instead on the good of life. Paul said,
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted... -Ephesians 4:31-32.
Focusing on the little things of life can help: the beautiful sparkle of snow is a far better thing to thing of than how cold it is outside; why think of how hard the test you are studying for or the job you have to do at work is when you can be grateful that you can go to learn or work, and that you are likely in a building, sheltered from the outside, being fed and taken care of?
3. Learn to forgive.
-Hands down, this is the hardest thing for most of us to do. Our instinct, as human beings, is to hold grudges. Getting revenge makes us feel good. We think, "Ha! Payback sucks! I'd like to see you do that to me again!" But, the truth is, does it really make you happy in the end? I vote not. I happen to know that everytime I have wanted revenge, or even extracted it, that I am not happy for very long afterward. Sure, it feels good at the time to "get them back," but it wears off. Just like winning the lotto, these pleasures of the world do not give everlasting happiness.
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. -Colossians 3:13
I am going to add one more way to be happy: dig into God's Word and let the Holy Spirit consume you. The Bible, in the Book of Galatians, discusses the "friuts of the spirit." These are different qualities that someone that filled with the Holy Spirit would show. The first listed is love; joy is second. Clearly, having happiness is high on God's priority list for you, and He wants you to have it.
Are you trying to find happiness in the world, where it is proven to be temporary? Or are you searching for an eternal happiness in a God that wants you to be happy forever?
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