The world’s promises are lies.
Many of us cling to and believe the lies the world tells us. If you’re blonde you’ll have more fun, if you are thin everyone will like you, if you have money you will be happy. How many ads have you seen on the Internet and on television that promises you to be young and beautiful, to have the prowess of a 25-year-old, or never have another wrinkle? Do all these things and you will find ultimate happiness! Some of the worst wrinkles on the face happen when you laugh, so does that mean you should never laugh? Some people attempt to make happiness their main goal in life. They believe their marriage to Mr. Right, will give them a fairy tale life. This equates to happiness, and is accompanied by perfect job, the ideal house, and 2.5 children. A Better Homes & Gardens reality if you will, but it isn’t reality at all. Life can get messy, smelly, unpopular, undesirable, and just plain ugly. The unexpected creeps up and ruins your perfect scenario of a perfect happy life. Thursday I had the most unexpected thing happen, lightning hit my house. I was in disbeliefe that my telephone had been blown off the wall. Unbeknownst to me, the telephone in the house is not the only thing to get blown off the wall, the telephone box on the side of the house was absolutely obliterated and the house was singed. This scenario could have had several effects on me, hysteria could have been one of them, worry could have been another, or relief in laughter because no one was hurt and the house didn’t burn down.I chose the latter, because I saw God’s hand of protection was present.
If you believe the world and its promises, then happiness will always be just beyond your reach. Because the world is a place of constant want of more, better, and richer things in order to obtain the all elusive happiness. But there is true happiness that you can attain through the promises in God’s Word. We’re told to follow Jesus, to emulate and live like Him, and do everything to honor God. We should place our hope in God’s promises, rather than the promises of the world. Then delight in reading God’s Word, and in it finding assurance of who you are and where you are headed for eternity. God wants us to be happy Christians, the light shining in the darkness, a ray of hope. Here is a song that puts it in a nut shell.
HAPPINESS IS THE LORD
Happiness is to know the Saviour,
Living a life within His favour,
Having a change in my behaviour,
Happiness is the Lord.
Real joy is mine,
No matter if the teardrops start,
I’ve found a secret,
It’s Jesus in my heart.
Happiness is a new creation,
Jesus and me in close relation,
Having a part in His salvation,
Happiness is the Lord.
If we are happy in the Lord, people of the world will see that in us, and they will want what we have; happiness and contentment.
As parents it is important that we teach our children not to be caught up in the hype of the world. Their happiness should not be dictated by cell phones, fashion, the right car, or any worldly possessions. If we walk around the house always complaining, never happy, and having a less than gracious attitude toward other people, what are we teaching our children? Look around you, God blesses us each and every day of our lives, and promises us eternity also. How much more happiness will your cup hold, is it half empty, or is it running over?
We as authors have been known to give our heroes and heroines a bit of tenacity, and a little humor to go along with it, while dealing with life’s problems. God wants us to be happy in our life, and to claim the promises He has made for us in His Word. Instead of clutching at worldly things for happiness, He wants us to give our offerings, our love, and happiness to others . Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. So pull out the tenacity, the humor, and let those cups run over, because a merry heart does good like a medicine!
Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.
Psalms 100:2
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Proverbs 17:22
Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
Job 8:21
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psalms 126:2
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecclesiastes 3:4
Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
Luke 6:21
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:15