The definition of happiness according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “Feelings of happiness, or showing pleasure or contentment”.  Happiness is something we express when something delights us; however, happiness, like other expressed emotions, cannot be our frame of mind all the time.

Feelings of happiness are shared by all human beings on the planet, regardless of race, class, faith, nationality, etc.  According to a study by Push Doctor,  when a sample of men in the UK was asked if they were happy, 51% said they were happy or very happy.  Wheres, as when a section of 49% of women was asked the same questions, only 42% said they were happy or very happy.  Interestingly, when Wikipedia asked the question: “Who were the happiest nations in the world”?  Finland was apparently the best place for positivity, followed by Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and the Netherlands.

The world would have us believe that material possessions make us happy.  Advertisers would have us believe that having enough money or being able to afford the material things that make us happy, are the ultimate goal!  Money and expensive goods can make us feel secure and temporarily happy, but such happiness is fleeting.  You can be Richard Branson or Bill Gates, but deep down, all human beings have the same emotional and spiritual needs, and we know there must be more to life.

To keep happy and healthy the NHS recommends six areas of your life to concentrate on:

Manage your stress levels.

Enjoy yourself.

Boost self-esteem.

Live a healthy lifestyle.

Have a well-balanced diet.

Take some form of exercise.

Talk and communicate with friends and family.

Build your resilience.

Certainly, science suggests that spiritual people (those who pray or have a hope in God) and in particular Christians, are happier people than those who profess no faith.  In a survey conducted in the United States, 36% of believers said they were far more content with life than those who expressed no belief.

So what makes Christians happy?  While material goods may bring a degree of pleasure, we realise that these goods are on loan as it were, from God.  The joy and peace of God, through his son Jesus Christ, gives us true contentment in life.  The hope he gives is not just for our lives now but in the life and eternity to come, in the presence of God.

There are certain preachers who say that to have the latest car, phone, etc, are blessings from God.  And while God may choose to bless the believer with financial prosperity, to believe this is the only form of blessing is missing the point and unbiblical.  Blessings from the Lord to the believer (encompassing happiness) can mean a range of things, from a cure from illness to meeting a new friend or even enjoying the wonders of nature.

Here some scriptures which speak of hope and happiness in the Lord:

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”.

Romans 8:25 “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it patiently”.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a life”.

Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer”.

God bless you.

Nick xxx.