How to Be Happy in an Unhappy World by Marie Chapian

Author:Marie Chapian [Chapian, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: REL012070, SEL016000, Happiness—Religious aspects—Christianity
ISBN: 9781493400294
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2015-09-24T16:00:00+00:00

Your Feelings Aren’t Who You Are

Perhaps you respond to pleasure and happiness intellectually rather than emotionally, but you have the right to your good feelings and your bad feelings.

Parents who tell their children, “Stop crying this minute!” or “Stop acting so droopy” teach their children that negative feelings are bad. People take this misbelief into adulthood and experience shame, guilt, doubt, worry, and so on because not all their feelings are good or nice.

As Christians, we want to be holy before the Lord, and we mistake this to mean that we are to eradicate anything about us that’s not ideal. When we try to do this, we incur guilt and shame because we’re imperfect mortals and sinners saved by grace.

Imagine yourself staying happy without a shred of guilt, sadness, or fear for several days in a row. Imagine yourself being the one who pulls the strings for your happiness levels. You’re the one in control. Let go of the guilt, let go of the shame, and be at peace with who you are in Christ right now. Your feelings don’t identify who you are. Your faith does.

You can smooth the surface of metal with tools, but if you want to change its shape, it must go through the fiery forge to be new from the inside out. Quiet Prayer will help you change from the inside out.

Too much of our Christian life is lived on the surface, with Christ “out there” as our help in time of need instead of within us. We pray, “Help me” as though we’re all alone. In you, in the heart of you, the core essence of you, God has made a home for Himself. He’s alive inside you. In the secret place within, God lives, and guess what—He’s happy to be in you.

Imagine telling yourself you can handle happiness. How does that feel? What does it feel like to be completely fearless? Talk to Jesus about this feeling. Write it in your happiness journal. Continue with a five-minute Quiet Prayer with the Author and Sustainer of lasting happiness. Sit in an upright position, fully aware. Gently close your eyes and still your mind. Imagine yourself sitting with Jesus right beside you or before you—just you and Him. Let everything go except the knowledge of being with Him as He offers you the gift of happiness.

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