Are you happy?

No? It’s probably because you are rich.

Based on what we have, own, have access to, we should be the happiest people on earth. If you’ve only lived in the U.S., then you have no idea how privileged you are. Most of your complaints, others would only dream that they had that kind of problems.

I get disgusted listening to the interviews of some of the losers of big games – such as the Superbowl losers or NBA Finals losers. How they act like they just lost a child. But why won’t they remember the fact that they are #2 in the world and most of them millionaires! You and I would give anything to be in their shoes! Young. Healthy. Famous. Rich. But just because they lost a game, they feel as those they have been sentenced to death. As you can see, I have no sympathy for those people!

Have you ever imagined that that’s what our complaints would sound like to a poor (truly poor) family in Indonesia? Imagine sharing all your troubles with a mom with 12 kids, living in a hut, making a living weaving baskets, and her dream is just that many of her children will survive to adulthood…. Would you, with all your troubles, trade your place with her? Do you think she would like to?

Don’t deceive yourself thinking that more money is your solution. (or marriage, skinnier body, more friends, etc) No. those things ARE the ones that caused the problem in the first place (Or trying to achieve them….). More of them won’t solve it. They will only worsen it.

“Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.”
Luke 6:24,25

Now you understand why Paul said “godliness with contentment is great gain.”

That kind of contentment cannot be based on our ever changing circumstances. It must be based upon the only One who does not change – Jesus Christ and His Father who love us so dearly.

Something concrete: Imagine yourself going for a routine check up and they found a cancerous lump. It’s terminal, and doctors gave you 1 year to live…. How devastated would you be? You must say goodbye to everyone and everything you’ve ever known. But a miracle happens and your cancer disappears. Now you can live normally again! How exuberant would you be? How is where you are right now different from yourself in that exuberant state?

Your happiness depends on one thing and one thing only: What you think you deserved. The gospel tells you that you deserved death and hell, but didn’t get it. Do you believe it? If you did, you would be happy…

PH