Happy, Happy, Happy
Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)
The Beatitudes remind us that God desires our happiness. Another term for “blessed” is “happy.” “Happy are the poor in spirit….” “Happy are those who mourn….” “Happy are the meek....” Sometimes we forget God’s concern and care because God’s expectations are so different from what humanity values. Yet, when you read the recommendations of psychologists, they parallel Jesus’ words without realizing it. I discovered this while reading psychologist Nick Wignall’s article, “3 Psychological Reasons Why You’re Always Unhappy.”
Wignall begins by calling for us to stop “holding on to resentments.” Wignall describes some of his clients’ struggles with resentment by saying, “of course, we fall into unproductive complaining sometimes! But for some people, it’s almost a way of life. Some people hold on to past injuries so hard that they become defined by them.” Jesus responds to resentments with a call to forgiveness.
Next, Wignall warns us about “worrying about things you can’t control.” No matter how hard we try, much of life is beyond our control because we live with other people and in a world with violent natural cycles. What we can control is how we respond to specific situations. Jesus calls us to hand all our cares over to our Triune God. Another response we can control is whether we are “surrounding yourself with people you don’t like.” Wignall challenges my ethical beliefs with this suggestion. As people of faith, we are called to eat with those the world denies. I believe what Wignall means is that when you respond to challenging and demeaning people, you come from an attitude of care and support. When we need friends, we need people we trust and can be vulnerable with. They need to be healthy, so they do not demean and injure our hearts.
Today, think about Wignall’s recommendations. Find your Biblical references for each of his three responses to resentment. Next, prayerfully consider what situations and people push your resentment buttons. Rather than blame the situation or person, ask why you allowed resentment to fester in your soul. Resentment is about permission. You permit others to affect your attitude when you settle into bitterness. Ask the Holy Spirit how you can take control of your mood, even when the situation is beyond your control. God will give you the tools to bring lasting happiness to your life, even when life isn’t easy.