The Secret To Being Happier Every Day
When reading the September 2008 edition of Parade Magazine, I came across a short article entitled “The Secret to Being Happier Every Day.” Written by Allison Takeda, the article presents the results of recent scientific studies that explored what things truly provide satisfaction in life.
The article’s opening paragraph reads: “Think you know what will make you happy? Recent studies may surprise you. Reasearchers have found that individual happiness levels don’t correlate with money, success - even good health. Here’s what does matter.”
The article proceeds to give four secrets to happiness. As I read about the four secrets, I was not surprised. You see, what was learned in the recent scientific studies had already been revealed and taught by Jesus and His Apostles some 2,000 years ago. The researchers are only confirming the wisdom found in the Scriptures.
Let’s look at these so-called “secrets” -
1. Being Thankful.
“According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist at the University of California at Riverside, people who make a conscious effort to count their blessings on a regular basis show marked improvement in their overall satisfaction with life.”
People who make an effort to see the positive things in their lives are going to be much happier. People who make an effort to dwell upon the blessings that they enjoy each day and have a grateful heart have the sunniest dispositions.
For the Christian, it is easier to be thankful because we know that what we have in this life comes from a God Who chooses to bless us. What we have is not a matter of luck, blind chance or accident. What comes into our lives comes to us from Someone Who has our best interest at heart and is daily demonstrating His goodness and lovingkindness toward us.
James 1:17, “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18, “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Every day and in every situation we can and should find something that we can thank God for. Even in difficult times, which are often sent for our spiritual betterment, we can find reason to be thankful. For, He is near and He will never forsake us.
If you want to be happy in life, don’t allow yourself to get into the habit of always grumbling and complaining about your life. Psalms 136:1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalms 97:12, “Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones; And give thanks to His holy name.”
2. Do Unto Others.
“Want to feel good? Then do good. Donate blood, carry someone’s groceries to the car, or take a cup of soup to an ailing loved one. Little acts of kindness aren’t just beneficial for the person on the receiving end. They also provide a boost for you, the doer. Studies show that performing five good deeds a week can significantly elevate your mood.”
Jesus is the first Person Who actually taught the principle that doing good to others is actually good for ourselves. Paul, says in Acts 20:35, "remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
Selfish people are the most miserable people on Earth. People who only think about what they can get from other people and what other people can do for them are the most sad and depressing people that you can meet. Self-centered people are not happy people. As strange as it might sound, those who think about how they might help make others happy and promote the interests of others are the happiest folks you’ll ever know. No wonder we are taught, in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Those who have the richest lives are those whose lives are rich in good works for others.
3. Get Involved With Others.
“It’s tempting, when things aren’t going well, to shut out the world and sulk in solitude. But that’s a mistake. Two of the top five factors in determining happiness are family relationships and community, says Richard Layard, author of Happiness: Lessons From a New Science. Investing in others, and having them invest in you, gives your life purpose. It also ensures that you won’t sit at home every night wallowing in self-pity. So put yourself out there.”
Having a social network with people you care about and with those who care about us is very important in producing happiness. God designed our families to be such a social network but the truth is that not everybody comes from families who are caring and supportive. Not every family is closely knit.
Jesus spoke of another reason why our families’ might not provide that close social network - our religion. There are cases where members of our family do not like nor respect our spiritual convictions and they persecute us. Or, they may not want to have anything to do with us because of our difference of lifestyles. Mark 10:29-30, “Jesus said, ‘Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.’”
The point I want to note from this passage is that Jesus says that if our Faith leads to our losing our family ties, He promises that we shall gain a bigger family. That bigger family is the Church. God designed the Church to be a close-knit social network in which we can find purpose in caring for and supporting each other.
We need to ask ourselves from time-to-time: how much do I value the Church family? Do I give of myself to the Church family? Do I allow the Church family to involve themselves in my life?
1 Corinthians 12:25-27, “there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” Romans 12:10, 15, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor…Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
If we want happiness and a sense of fulfillment in our lives, we need to avoid isolating ourselves and make a conscious effort to follow God’s counsel in cultivating relationships with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
4. Make the Choice for Happiness.
“Lyubomirsky reports that, according to research, only 10% of our well-being is determined by circumstances, while 40% is a matter of intentional activity. The bottom line? Happiness is a choice. Commit to living a better life every day, and chances are you will.”
This point, here, is a lesson that all of us need to be reminded of. The circumstances that are beyond our control have little to do with our being happy. Happiness is based upon our response to life’s circumstances and our doing what is in our power to do to create a better life each day.
Each day, as we wake from our sleep, we need to adopt the attitude expressed in Psalms 118:24, “This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The Apostle Paul commands us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Rejoice always.” Again, in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”
Paul practiced what he preached. Let me give you an example of how Paul rejoiced despite the unfavorable circumstances wherein he found himself. Acts 16:16-25, “And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, ‘These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.’ And she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!’ And it came out at that very moment. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, ‘These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.’ And the crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them, and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
Paul and Silas could experience happiness in very dreadful circumstances because they had given themselves to a Cause greater than themselves. They were committed to doing what was right. And because they were committed to doing what is right, they had faith that God was in control and would take care of them. So, regardless of their circumstances, they always had a song in their heart. They were happy.
A daily commitment to live the Christian life is a commitment that leads to a better, happier and more fulfilling life. Its fruits are reaped regardless of outside circumstances because God blesses with happiness and peace that flows from within. 1 Peter 3:10-12, “For, let him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile, and let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer."
As I close my remarks, let me tell you how the story of Paul and Silas in jail turned-out. The jailer who witnessed the attitude of Paul and Silas wanted whatever it was that motivated their lives. He wanted whatever it was that would leas them to sing after being beaten and thrown into jail. The jailer was converted to the Christian Faith.
If people witness happiness in our lives - no matter our circumstances - they will take note. They will want to know why we are so happy. It will provide an opportunity to share Jesus with them. And that will lead to even grreater happiness in pur lives.
