We Are Now Officially Unhappy!

I saw yesterday where a respected poll said that 75% of Americans are unhappy with how things are going and where they see them headed. This is the highest level of reported gloominess since 1952 when the Republicans swept Truman and the Democrats from office. Back then the Korean War was very unpopular and people were more or less fed up with their present government. As Yogi would say, “Déjà vu all over again.“ Now it’s the Iraq War and the feeling that the Bush administration has failed even their most ardent supporters.

This is a very high number when you consider those who profess to have their confidence in the Lord their God. The musical we are doing this Christmas as a Church choir is entitled “There is peace in the world tonight.” The dialogue that goes with the musical pieces makes it clear over and over that peace in this context is not the absence of conflict but instead it is the presence of Jesus the Christ living in the heart and life of an individual.

I will be the first to admit it is hard to be optimistic when looking at how things are going in the world today. Listening to radio stations all over the world at different times makes me aware of just how much evil there is in the world. Everyone everywhere is dealing with all kinds of local crime and corruption. We often only see it in our own area or in our own national setting but it’s literally amazing how much bad stuff goes on 24x7 all over this globe. It’s enough to make folks feel unhappy.

But that brings me back to the purpose of my blog today and that is to think about what makes us have this feeling of unhappiness. Jesus taught a radically different idea about peace and an inherent sense of well being. He said those who know God and are known by Him can live a life of confidence, peace, and satisfaction, not because of having great circumstances, but because of their identity with He who is in control of all things.

This is what makes me wonder about a 75% number of unhappy people. We call ourselves a Christian nation and I believe more than 60% report they are born again believers. Of course that terminology could mean different things to different people but at the same time it does reflect upon us who should not be looking to Washington, or to the job market or to the stock market for our source of well being. We should be leaning upon and trusting in the God who sent His Son to save us.

I thought about this in the context of my current medical situation. I need to hear this message and do my best to cooperate with the professionals God has provided, but at the same time I need to rest myself in the certainty of His provision and care as opposed to being distressed over all the small details going on around me. I once coordinated a Sunday night bible class where the students took parts each week and studied them and then presented their thoughts the next week to the rest of the class. One lady told me she was absolutely mortified by even the thought of having to get up and speak before others but at the same time she did feel in her heart a need to do a part. I told her that when you think about it, the worst thing that could happen would be that you would die on the spot and immediately be ushered into the presence of God. I also told her that He would give her the strength to do it for His honor and glory. She thought about it and then was able to take a part and while she was very nervous she ended up doing a good job and from that time forward she continued to actively participate. Today she leads a major women’s ministry in our Church.

Therefore, as we look around us and see all the bad and hear about the sad things going on, we need to look up and know that our God is the One who will take care of us and if He chooses to allow us to go through difficult times, we have His assurance that He will never leave us and He will never forsake us. That should make us 100% happy to be His child and to live in the confidence of His unfailing love and care. Food for thought on a Friday morning. ….more later.