9 Ways to Become Happy

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9 Ways to Become Happy, changes, compassionate, contentment, depression, despair, discouragement, goodness, grief, harassment, hopelessness, humble, humility, humilty, joy, kindness, life answers, life struggles, life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness, LONELINESS, morality, mourning, persecution, poor in spirit, suicide, Teacher

Who among us does NOT want to be happy? Silly question! Happiness is a universal goal or desire of mankind something all humans have in common. Even our “Declaration of Independence” includes happiness in its list of “unalienable rights” guaranteed by our Creator.

What IS happiness? The dictionary defines it as good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy. Some people define happiness in terms of achievement of personal goals like a six figure salary, or a new car. Others seek that perfect relationship (which, btw, does not exist!) Some seek temporary gratification by putting others down or using the weaker ones around us for our personal advantage. Still others just want everyone to agree with them … on everything!

Whatever your definition, I’d be willing to bet it includes some element of human comfort, so as I post these 9 methods toward happiness, you may find them foreign. They are, however, proven over centuries in a variety of cultures and circumstances.

9 Ways to Become Happy

• “Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (or “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”)
• “Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad. (or “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.)
• “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.(or “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.)
• “Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full. (or “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.)
• “Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy. (or “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.)
• “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God. (or “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.)
• “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children. (or “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.)
• “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (or “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.)
• “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you. (or “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.)

WOW, huh?

These are commonly known as “The Beatitudes,” a message delivered by Jesus. Most Americans have some knowledge of Jesus, and even if they do not believe Him to be the Son of GOD, as He claimed to be, they see Him as a great Teacher.

Maybe He’s on to something here, eh? With suicide rates up, depression, despair, & discouragement overtaking the lives and hearts of many Americans, perhaps our culture’s compass has become skewed? Perhaps, all the “selfish feel good” mentality is counter productive? Maybe money isn’t the answer to all our problems, after all. Maybe it’s time for a new direction, as taught by an ancient wise “Teacher?”

How badly do you want to Be HAPPY? Badly enough to try a different way of thinking? A different way of living? You decide.

**NOTE: The BEATITUDES are found in Matthew 5: 3-12. The versions shown above include the Living Bible and the Message Bible is in parenthesis above, linked for your convenience.

JOY to the WORLD

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Christmas, Darkness, individual freedom, Jesus Christ, joy, light

There is no shortage of bad and ugly news in our sad world, but CHRISTMAS is an exercise in BALANCE! If there is one thing we can learn from Christmas, it is that Christ left heaven – a place of perfection, peace, and love – to enter our corrupt world … made corrupt by us, sinful beings. Yes, God could have made us perfect little puppets that obeyed his every wish, but in his opinion, individual freedom was more important, more valuable. Since he created us each special, different, and unique, he comprehends the value of uniqueness and potential. He birthed into each of us a unique blend of talents and abilities intended for the betterment of humankind. It is our corrupt nature that ruined everything and perverted these gifts and abilities to selfish gain. Individual freedom is God’s idea, and we can only hope to live freely as we seek and serve him.

Christmas reminds us that we really should work to use our own personal freedoms, gifts and abilities to help our neighbors. God understood our predicament and gave his very one Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus gave up his place in heaven and came to this dark earth as a helpless infant to endure the same torments of earth that you and I endure daily. The difference? He endured without sin, without anger, without jealousy, without greed … without petty frustrations, without coveting the neighbor’s Caddy or 55 inch plasma.

So amidst the bad and ugly news, JOY comes. LIGHT comes to our dark world, though many do not perceive it. Darkness tries to cover our nakedness, but Light uncovers and exposes TRUTH. This is our mission always, but we must be careful that the darkness does not overtake us. With the volume of dark deceptions in our nation, in this administration, in our world, we must guard our own perspective, our own hearts, lest the darkness take over our own hearts. We can face the darkness only as we stand in the Light.

Christmas is a time for the LIGHT to shine. Even in our sterilized secular society, the BRIGHTNESS of this season shines. We mourn the babies slain; we mourn our freedoms lost, we mourn the direction of our nation; we mourn the choice America has made … Yet in our time of mourning, LIGHT SHINES.

“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1: 1 – 5