Be Happy

5 Oct

“On the whole, the happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so.”  ~ William R. Inge

Bobby McFerrin had a hit song entitled “Be Happy.”  It’s first verse said it all:  “Here’s a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note, don’t worry, be happy.  In every life we have some trouble but when you worry you make it double, don’t worry, be happy.  Don’t worry, be happy now.”  I know many people who live by that mantra.  They are happy.  Always.  Sometimes, I even think, obnoxiously so.

I guess I say “obnoxiously so” because I am not always happy.  I try to be.  I put on a smile and try to confront the day as positively as possible.  However, I often let the cares and concerns of the day/week/month/year weigh me down.  Before I know it, my happiness has been lost.  I feel robbed.

I am not blaming anyone for that.  I know that it is all on me.  If I allow circumstances to rob my joy, I will be unhappy.  If you allow circumstances to rob your joy, you will be unhappy as well.  What good is unhappiness?

When we are happy, we view the world differently.  We are more positive.  We are kinder to others.  We snap less.  We become more visionary.  We are better disciples of the Lord.  When we are unhappy, well, we are not much use to anyone or ourselves.  We become that proverbial wet blanket that dampens every else’s joy.  Who needs that.

“The happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so.”  Thank God for them.

Oh.  Hmmm.  Maybe that is the cause of their joy?  God.  We all know from experience that when we begin the day with prayer or some way to focus on God that our day flows.  We do not experience as many bumps along the way and, if we do encounter anything negative, we are able to rise above it easier.

God is the key to joy.  The happy person is the person who keeps God front and center.  If someone appears to be unhappy, it might just mean that the person has allowed distraction to enter his or her life and their gaze has fallen away from God.  God leads to joy, this world leads to chaos and unhappiness.

If you want to be joyful, think about God.  Be happy now.

FAITH ACTION:  Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord today and share your joy with all you meet.