"I Just Want To Be HAPPY! Is That Asking Too Much?"

The Lord is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
 He takes me to lush pastures,
He leads me to refreshing water.
 He restores my strength.
He leads me down the right paths
for the sake of his reputation.

Psalm 23:1-3

Every so often I remember the carefree days of childhood.  I never had to wonder whether there would be food, even if I was not (and AM not) a fan of vegetables.  I never had to worry about having clothes to wear.  Some would say such a childhood was a happy time.  You'd think that, but in reality I was not exactly a happy child, because I was prone to wonder and ask "Why?" so many times that I could see my parents' expressions twitch.

I thought this thing we call "happy" was a result of not having to be concerned about anything, and Abba has taken a LOT of time to remind me how mistaken I am.  You see, "Happy" is not a destination or goal which can be achieved and then lost again.  If you win an award, there is great excitement and hoopla, yet over time that excitement and hoopla dissipate. "Happy" is not like that.

Permit me, if you will, to offer some insights which Abba has shown me over and over in His patience:

1. Happy is not a feeling!  Happy is a decision. The Apostle Paul called it "content.'

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:11-13

2. If you aren't experiencing "happy" ask yourself why.  Are you listening to the Deceiver whispering into your mind telling what a horrible person you are and all those mistakes you have ever done in your entire life?  Do you know how to overwrite the whispers of the Deceiver? Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  To overwrite the negativity from the Deceiver, fill your heart and mind with prayers of praise to Abba, sing to Him, thank Him for loving you, and here's the most important part of the verse "IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES".  Write your prayers, thoughts, songs, write your heart and soul, so that when the Deceiver comes again (and he will) you can read your contentment and joy which irritates him.

3. If you truly want to be happy and content, change your perspective.  Don't look at your circumstances, rather give your circumstances to Abba KNOWING He will provide what His precious children need. 

"The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need." - Psalm 23:1

You see, Happiness and Contentment really are available and it's free!  Think About That!

"Best Day"

Then Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “You and your family have been saved today. You’ve shown that you, too, are one of Abraham’s descendants."

Luke 19:9 

 

Think about the best day you have ever had.  Maybe it was the day you got married.  Perhaps it was the day you got that job you wanted.  It might even be the day that your child was born.  Zaccheus probably hadn't had a best day in his life.  Let's face it, he was small of stature, which meant he was most likely picked on as a child.  As he got older, he became a Collector of Taxes for the Roman Government and was hated for it even though his revenge on those who hated him was the fact he was rich.  Finally, he heard that Jesus was coming, yet no one would let him get close enough to see Him.

 

Finally, he ran ahead and climbed up a tree so he could actually see this man he had heard so much about.  Imagine what went through his mind when Jesus stopped under where Zaccheus was perched, looked up and said, "Come on down, Zaccheus, I need to come to your house today."  Scripture doesn't tell us if Zaccheus climbed down, jumped down or fell out of the tree, but we see that he got down and just as he was getting ready to show Jesus the way to his house, the people who hated Zaccheus started telling Jesus that Zaccheus was a sinner of the worst kind.

 

Do you think Zaccheus was embarrassed by the comments being made to Jesus about him?  Probably.  Do you think Jesus was bothered by the way other people talked about Zaccheus? Not in the least!  In fact, Jesus reprimanded those condemning Zaccheus!  And guess what? THAT was the best day Zaccheus ever had!

 

On that day, Jesus taught US two things:  Be careful when you condemn others because it shows your own black heart; the BEST day is the day Jesus accepted us!

 

Think about it! 

Happiness!

Examine and see how good the Lord is.  Happy is the person who trusts him.

Psalm 34:8

 

I am convinced that God created animals in order to teach us.  My Bride and I have a dog, Woody Bear, who teaches us a lot.  He is content to sit quietly with us and get scratched or sleep close to one of us.  And when he gets into one of his moods, he likes for me to chase him.  When I chase him, he actually smiles and wags his tail because he's happy.  By the same token, if I don't chase him, his tail goes down and he has a disappointed look on his face.  Chasing him makes him happy and it really doesn't take much time or effort and I do like to see him happy...so why do I refuse to chase him?  Because I am the one who doesn't feel like it, and disappointing Woody Bear, I hate to say it, is easy for me because he's just a dog.  "Just a dog"....what if God thought about me that way, "I don't need to provide for Paul, after all, he's just a wad of breath filled dirt."

 

But God IS good to me and to each of us!  And just as Woody Bear trusts that we will play together and be happy, God wants us to be happy because we trust Him.

 

Think about that for a minute.

Money Just Can't Buy...

Better to be poor and honest
    than to be dishonest and rich.

~Proverbs 28:6

You see it quite frequently, people wanting to impress others with their money.  Where they got their money is irrelevant to them, all they care is they have wads of it and everyone else doesn't.  Doesn't that impress you?

 

You see...money can buy any number of things:

     - cars

     - houses

     - boats

     - trips

     - jewelry

     - gadgets

 

While having those things might appear impressive, my question is this: if you have all this money, how are you helping others? Okay, I'll admit it, I was stunned and rather impressed when I saw a man who had purchased a golden toilet.  But then, my sweet Bride reminded me that this man spent quite a lot on a device that is merely a waste disposal unit.

 

The things that should impress us are the things that cannot be purchased:

     - honesty

     - love

     - integrity

     - courtesy

     - caring

     - loyalty

 

Remember the story of the Prodigal Son?  He got his inheritance and went off and spent it freely.  As long as he had money to spend, he had 'friends' to help him.  Where were those 'friends' when the young man had to slop pigs? 

 

Remember the Rich Young Ruler who asked Jesus what he needed to do to gain eternal life?  He was trying to work a bargain, and was absolutely crushed when he found out that Eternal Life cannot be bought, sold, or earned!

Say what you will, but it is better to be poor and honest than rich and hellbound.

     

It's All About Attitude!

Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart. Do it for the Lord and not for men. Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ. If anyone does wrong, he will suffer for it. God does not respect one person more than another.

Colossians 3:23-25

I LOVE my job!  I just do!  Every day is a learning experience and every day is different.  I get to talk with people who may or may not have ever imagined talking to a Chaplain, much less one that's a bit......ummmm....unorthodox.  But I enjoy every aspect of my job!

Even though I love my job and the people I get to work with, there are many who don't see their job in the same light.  In fact, there are many people who are so unhappy with their work that their attitudes have begun to fester.  The truly sad part of this is that this infected attitude gets taken home to their families and spreads to others like a plague!

For years I worked in a job that I grew to despise.  Why? Because the salary was good and the hours weren't bad.  But the people I worked for and with were another story.  And....I brought it home with me every single day.  Which made my Bride miserable.  Finally, God opened the opportunity to leave that post to one I love!  You see, the lesson He taught me was that Attitude is important!  

I cannot stress this enough: ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT!

You see, when we are miserable, we don't tend to hide it very well for very long.  Eventually it will seep into every aspect of our lives and then we begin to wonder why people don't seem to want to be around us much anymore.  Attitude!  I'm not an advocate of the "Fake It 'Til You Make It" ideology because the Fake part will be far too obvious.  What I had to learn, albeit the hard way, is when I devote my work habits to God, then my attitude changes because I rely on Him to see me through the toughest storms (and there have been many of those).  

Would you rather trust the weatherman or the One who controls the Weather?  Sometimes the best attitude adjustment involves letting go of the very things or people who are bringing your attitude down (the parasites).  But remember, we work for God!