Count Your Blessings #94 – Happiness

I’ve had a song going around my head over the last few days, it goes like this:

Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I posses.
I thank the Lord I’ve been blessed.
With more than my share of happiness.

It’s a song from my childhood that is still being sung by Ken Dodd. I was surprised to find out that it was in the charts before I was even born. This song is one of those that once you get it put in your brain it just goes around and around. If you would like the full lyrics they are here.

One of my favourite blogs comes from the self styled Chief Happiness Officer. I particularly like the Monday Tips which give some really creative ideas for making your work environment a happier place.

Happiness has actually been a really big thing recently with articles in the BBC and the film The Pursuit of Happyness.

So does the Bible have anything to say about Happiness? Christians are often characterised as people who are against everything and lacking in joy.

Actually the Bible has loads to say about being happy and encourages it time and time again. Here’s just one of them:

I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. 
I live and breathe God;
   if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy: 
Join me in spreading the news;
   together let’s get the word out. 
God met me more than halfway,
   he freed me from my anxious fears. 
Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
   Never hide your feelings from him.

Psalm 34

One of the things that struck me hard about my frustrations post was that frustration is a state of mind. I can chose to be frustrated, and I can choose to not be frustrated. I can choose to live in frustration and I can choose to live in happiness but if my choice is going to be real it needs to be expressed. It’s no good sitting saying to myself that this frustrating situation is making me happy. I need to interact with the situation to stop it being frustrating and for it to become fulfilling. Sometime the correct expression is to leave, more often that expression is to interact with the situation and either change myself or change the situation.

So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.

Ecclesiastes 3:12