"Happiness"

A hearty welcome to this page and my prayer is that the Lord Jesus will grant you His grace and peace today.  This article is a reflection on happiness, so at the beginning, please reflect on the following three questions:

• Are you a happy person?
• What makes you feel happy?
• What are the 3 most important things for you to be happy?

Sonja Lyubomirsky describes happiness as "the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is good, meaningful, and worth while" (2007".  It is a reality that some people experience more unhappiness than happiness.  These are people who most times just lack joy. While depression and other psychological diseases are certainly a clinical illness and should not be minimized, the following are factors that contribute to unhappiness. 

• We worry, and it creates inner turmoil. 
• We hold on to grudges and find it hard to forgive those who offend us. 
• We harm outselves by carrying negative energy--shun pessimism. 
• We compare outselves to others--playing the internal comparison games. 
• We choose to be happy only when all our dreams come true. 
• We have not discovered our God-given purpose in life. 
• We are lonely. 
• We are too proud to share with others our vulnerabilities or needs. 

I find it incredibly interesting that when Jesus began His earthly ministry, when he began to teach, His first teaching was about happiness.  He saw that people's deepest desire was for happiness.  For Jesus, happiness is an inside job; it begins inside us, in our hearts, and it is that kind of happiness that He came to give.  I invite you to note the context Matthew sets for us, and then listen for the keys to happiness Jesus reveals in the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-9). 

• Happy are the poor in spirit--Happy are those who are dependent on God (Psalm 51:17 & James 4:10). 
  
• Happy are those who mourn--Like Jeremiah who wept over the spiritual emptiness/sinfulness of this people. 
  
• Happy are the meek or gentle. 
  
• Happy are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness (Psalm 63:1).
  
• Happy are the merciful--those who never return evil for evil.
  
• Happy are the pure in heart--refusing to join others in sin (Colossians 3:1-11).
  
• Happy are the peacemakers (James 3:18). 
  

For Jesus, happiness thrives on an external perspective.  However, for many, the reality is that happiness is transitory, fleeting, and circumstantial.  We discover that happiness too often depends on the conditions or people around us.  That may be so, but as Christians, we should not allow unhappiness to have dominion over us.  There are so many films and songs about happiness. 
Bobby McFerrin's song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is one song that comes to mind.  In addition to Jesus' keys to happiness, the social science literature is replete with steps to happiness, but given the limited space allowed for this article, I suggest the following: 

• Surround yourself with positivity
  
• Learn to forgive
  
• Savor life's joy
  
• Do what you love and keep tabs on things you feel blessed to have. 
  
• Enjoy the present and don't live in the past
  
• Nurture relationships
  
• Develop strategies for coping with life's challenges
  
• Do not carry grudges or negative energy
  

My prayer is that you find the secret of true happiness...a happiness that withstands the ups and downs of life, the  storms and trials that inevitably come our way. I pray for happiness that lasts with no discouragement,  no frustration, no grief, no failure, and no bad weather can destroy. 
Rev. Dr. Peter Grinion, Pastor