Happiness Vs. Unhappiness

Unhappiness should be considered temporary rather than constant. There are situations when unhappiness is appropriate. Grief caused by the passing of a loved one, a divorce, or an extended illness creates periods of sadness. The degree of unhappiness should subside with the passing of time and healing.

When sadness or grief lingers indefinitely, an emotional or physical abnormality is preventing healing from taking place. Believing unhappiness is one's lot in life should be discarded and replaced by trusting God for the initiative to search for happiness produced by healthy relationships and meaningful life experiences.

Happiness is acquired by trusting that God designed you for a purposeful life. Listen to this challenge from Jesus in Matthew 5:3: "Happy are those who know they need God, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them." They are dependent on God to be the source for happiness and joy. You can trust Jesus to be your guide for every event life presents.  

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I would have died unless the Lord had helped me. I screamed, “I’m slipping, Lord!” and he was kind and saved me. Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer.

~Psalm 94:17-19 The Living Bible

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How Can We Escape the Web of Unhappiness?

What causes unhappiness and why do so many people seem to be caught in its web? It is true that after the age of five or six, children have the capacity to remember experiences that were so painful that healing seems out of sight. Some researchers believe there is a genetic predisposition for unhappiness.

There are numerous ways to respond to unhappiness, regardless of its origin. Some individuals try to free themselves by having affairs or engaging in excessive work. Others try to slip through the web of unhappiness by overindulgence in drugs and alcohol. Extreme pleasure-seeking is another attempt to break away.

Any form of unhappiness, regardless of its origin or cause, creates grief because something has been lost. To grieve is the best way to heal, as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 5:3. "Blessed or are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." This does not mean grieving is pleasant, but it’s God’s way to restore joy and peace.  

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When [God’s] people pray for help, he listens and rescues them from their troubles. The Lord is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope. The Lord’s people may suffer a lot, but he will always bring them safely through.   

~Psalm 34:17-19 Contemporary English Version

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Can Unhappiness Ever Be Beneficial?

The majority of people accept the fact that happiness cannot be permanently sustained. Happiness is dependent on too many variables and evaporates if our expectations fail or when we’re confronted with disappointment. Can unhappiness be healthy or beneficial?

Unhappiness can bring together the power and strength of your soul and spirit to discover solutions made available by the Holy Spirit. Conflict that exists in a relationship or within oneself can be resolved if you seek God himself with all your heart. This will restore peace between you and God by creating a climate for healthy change.

While God does not prevent unhappiness from being intrusive, he never intended for it to be permanent. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world and in me there is no darkness." This means that problems and troubles will show up, but the light that Jesus is will be your guide and hope for managing any darkness that’s trying to create unhappiness. God bless you.  

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Sorrow is better than laugher, for sorrow has a refining influence on us.

~Ecclesiastes 7:3 The Living Bible

 

So humble yourselves under God’s strong hand, and in his own good time he will lift you up. You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern.

~1 Peter 5:6-7 Phillips – New Testament in Modern English

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Forbid Unhappiness to Be Permanent

Success by itself cannot create a permanent state of happiness or contentment. Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish philosopher, noted, "Man's unhappiness is related to his potential because he possesses a God-consciousness but may deny his existence or, through sheer willpower, determine to live without him."

Thomas Carlyle expressed one of life’s most persistent temptations. Pushing God out of your consciousness does not diminish his power or presence. It’s possible for unhappiness to become so persistent that it becomes accepted as normal. Instead, realize that difficult times do not mean you have lapsed into perpetual unhappiness.

You can discover joy when the trials of life have pushed you to the breaking point. How is this possible? Realize that God is present wherever you are. Consistently share with God what is happening to you. Joy is possible in all circumstances when you realize God's unfailing love will provide solutions. Pray for patience.                     

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I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

~Psalm 40:1-3 New Living Translation

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How Can We Cope with Unhappiness?

 Unhappiness at some level is inescapable regardless of financial status or social astuteness. So many childhood stories close with, "And they lived happily ever after." Only in fairy tales is the future perfect and assured. In reality, unwanted challenges and problems are a normal part of life.

Unhappiness is often associated with feeling entrapped by situations or relationships where change seems impossible. Whatever the cause of unhappiness, the temptation to accept it as permanent may appear as the only option. So many individuals believe this is what God intended for them.

From the beginning people have struggled with evil in the world and within themselves. While God permits us to suffer the hardships of temptation, he helps us cope with the ensuing unhappiness by forgiving us. Believe Jesus came to seek and to save the lost by offering you his unfailing love and mercy. This is the pathway to joy and peace.            

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[Jesus said:] If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest.

~Matthew 11:28 Contemporary English Version

 

Many sorrows come to the wicked, but abiding love surrounds those who trust in the Lord. So rejoice in him, all those who are his, and shout for joy, all those who try to obey him.

~Psalm 32:10-11 The Living Bible

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Who or What Is in the Heart of Your Ambition?

Ambition has been the driving force behind every great achievement since God created us. Listen to his command: “Be fruitful and increase in numbers, fill the earth and subdue it.” Ambition is blessed by God when its purpose and goal benefit everyone. Yet reality testifies that ambition is not always in compliance with God’s purpose.

Temptation will wait for ambition’s vulnerable moment and present itself through a person or inanimate object. Enticement often originates in the heart and mind, where vulnerability is continuously present.

Before becoming discouraged, listen to the hope provided in God’s word. Although we are inclined to permit ambition to entrap us in sin, by God’s grace he forgives and cleans us from all unrighteousness. By God’s power, temptation doesn’t have the final word. God has the final word, so dedicate the object of your ambition completely to Christ Jesus and to serving him with all your heart.  

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I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.

~Ephesians 1:17-18 New International Version

 

His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:7 The Living Bible

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Tempted by Unhealthy Ambition?

With most people ambition is considered a positive attribute. To lack ambition is viewed as being deprived of initiative and motivation. However, there are those whose ambition exceeds their ability and conditions necessary for reaching an objective. If not attuned to comply with reality, failure will be unavoidable.

The temptation may be to cover up an act of poor judgment by pretending it never happened, which then prevents learning valuable lessons from mistakes and failures that result. It’s important to look closely at ambition to be sure what motivation propels it into action. Good, healthy ambition should always be based on reality and worthy objectives.

Temptation uses ambition by taking advantage of a tendency to be self-centered and greedy, especially in the case of overzealous ambition. Temptation exploits its victim’s misperception of reality. Listen to James 3:13: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Show it by honorable deeds expressed with humility that comes from wisdom.” Godly wisdom is available to those who will use it for godly purposes.              

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God said to us humans, “To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord. To understand, you must turn from evil.”

~Job 28:28 Good News Bible

 

“Let the one who boasts boast in this: that he [or she] understands and knows me, for I am the Lord who acts with gracious love, justice, and righteousness in the land. I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

~Jeremiah 9:24 International Standard Version

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God's Word – a Safeguard Against Temptation

 Ambition plays a crucial role whenever an individual sets out to achieve an important goal in life. Without ambition there would be little motivation to endure the struggle and sacrifices that all important objectives demand. God designed humans with an innate need to be productive and creative.

However, ambition is not always driven by a desire to benefit the world for good. Sometimes it is propelled by a selfish need to promote and advance oneself. Yet Jonas Salk dedicated his life to creating a vaccine that would stamp out the polio virus that had killed and crippled thousands of children and adults. Because of his ambition, millions have been vaccinated since 1955.

Philippians 2:3 issues this warning: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.” This admonition is a safeguard against being pulled into temptation’s cutting edge. If this identifies you, return to Christ Jesus. Seek his forgiveness. He’s waiting for you.           

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I have thought much about your words, and stored them in my heart so that they would hold me back from sin.

~Psalm 119:11 The Living Bible

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What's God's Antidote for Temptation's Poison?

 It seems impossible to constantly be in good standing with oneself.  This is caused by careless behavior and bad choices. Temptation’s cutting edge slices into our propensity to be in conflict with ourselves and, seizing the moment, lures us away from fellowship with God and others. Our joy in the Lord then slips away.

When one aspect of our Christian life fades, it doesn’t take long for God’s presence to seemingly disappear. How could something so significant be permitted to slip away? Human nature lends itself to becoming neglectful as stress and pressure mount, causing our life to fall into disrepair.

As life’s conditions deteriorate, temptation steps to the forefront with attractive substitutions. This does not mean God gives up and turns his back. Instead, Jesus had this to say, “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” This is God’s antidote for temptation’s cutting edge.  

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And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

~Matthew 6:13 New Living Testament

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How Does God Nurture Us?

Not long ago I misplaced an important book and began searching for it in every nook and cranny. Jesus told of a shepherd who went in search of a lost sheep although he had ninety-nine others who were safe. Consider how we permit temptation to pull us away from the safety and protection of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

As society advances, stress and worry tend to diminish our readiness to enjoy life. Consequently, time to be nurtured by God evaporates. So how does God nurture us? As we choose to relax and be still, it’s possible to sense his protection, provision, and love. He nurtures us with his comfort and healing presence.

God nurtures us by giving us hope for the present and the future and by giving us strength to resist temptation’s advances. If you are out of touch with God, you can return now by asking him to take you back. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is searching for you, so open the door to your heart and let him in.                        

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“I, the Sovereign Lord, tell you that I myself will look for my sheep and take care of them…I will give them a king like my servant David, [Jesus,] to be their one shepherd, and he will take are of them. I, the Lord, will be their God, and a king like my servant David, [Jesus,] will be their ruler. I have spoken.”

~Ezekiel 34:11,23-24 Good News Bible

 

Jesus said:…I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and they know me…I give up my life for my sheep.

~John 10:14-15 Contemporary English Version

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Covering Up Temptation's Power and Privilege

Temptation is not a pleasant topic to discuss because of the difficulty of admitting our weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Consequently, what gives temptation power and privilege is the tendency to cover up its intrusion and impact. It’s also easier to blame others for failing to fight off temptation’s allurement.

The more secretive we are about submitting to temptation’s advances, the harder it is to escape and recover from these attacks. We tend to forget that nothing can be hidden from Christ Jesus, who knows our struggles. He’s also aware of our weaknesses and promises to help us with strength to confront any allurement.

We open the door to temptation’s snare by being discontented with our job, relationships, or possessions. If you could list the desires of your heart at this moment, what would be included? Let me encourage you to place the Lord Jesus Christ first and then seek him with all your heart. He will satisfy your longing. Do that now.             

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But remember this – the wrong desires that come into your life aren’t anything new and different. Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you. And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation’s power so that you can bear up patiently against it.

~1 Corinthians 10:13 The Living Bible

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Temptation Demands Conformity

Conformity is a powerful force all creation undergoes. Migrating birds fly in formations, with each one submitting to changes in position during flight. Jesus emphatically stated he had come to fulfill the commandments not to discard them, indicating he was in full submission and conformity to their requirements.

Temptation’s demand for conformity involves modifying the Ten Commandments. This philosophy copies what Joseph Fletcher and situational ethics hyped five decades ago, implying religious values and society’s rules are subject to individual discretion. This philosophy destroys personal safety and security.

Temptation attempts to nullify God’s commandments in order to elevate personal choice. 1 Peter 1:14-15 reminds Christians they are not to conform to temptation’s cutting-edge agenda. “Obey God because you are his child; do not slip back into your old ways. Be holy in everything you do."                             

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As obedient children, let yourself be pulled into a way of life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

~1 Peter 1:15-16 The Message

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