Forget Your Troubles And Just Get Happy Harold Arlen wrote the music and all the big name singers sang the words. Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra – from 1930 ‘till today. Everyone wants to “get happy,” but getting there is not as easy as singing that song. What might make one person “happy” might have the opposite effect on another. The birth of a baby, for example. The word “happy” is found less than thirty times in the Bible, though the root word is more often translated as “blessed.” Among philosophers there are widely varied views on how one can achieve “happy” today. One viewpoint says that being “happy” is not capable of simple definition. Another connects it to the possession of certain things, while yet another says it is the absence of some things. That song was written in the midst of the “great depression,” and we do not think of that time as a happy one. Many solutions were advanced, including this song. But, unless a person wants to be happy, chances are they never will be. To take advantage of a simple phrase used by many, “happiness is a choice.” There are many “reasons” for a person to be less than happy, such as the economy, job losses, sickness, loss of loved ones, etc. We think of the apostle Paul as a happy man, though he faced many, many personal trials, as described in 2 Corinthians 11. The word “rejoice” is found nearly thirty times in his epistles, and even in prison he spoke positively about life. Jesus said “rejoice” thirty times, though we know He had reason to be glum and somber. I know – being happy doesn’t come along just because some preacher says, “get happy.” Satan uses every “device” in his arsenal to prevent that. Let me suggest some reasons for us to be a happy, rejoicing, blessed people. This World Is Not Our Permanent Home We are but “pilgrims” here; it is only a brief segment compared to eternity, 1 Peter 2:11, Job 7:6. Even if the source of our troubles cannot be removed, we can look to a better day, Hebrews 11:13. We Know God Keeps His Promises Read 2 Peter 1:4, 3:9, Titus 1:2. If we keep our promise to Him, we can know that He will keep His. And those promises are “out of this world.” We Associate With People Of “Like Precious Faith,” 2 Peter 1:1. We can give strength to one another; pick each other up when times get rough. We can “consider one another to provoke unto love and good works,” Hebrews 10:24. We can face anything that Satan throws at us if we all stick together, encourage and love one another. We Have Work To Do; We Are Needed. There is nothing so depressing emotionally as feeling useless, un-needed. That being true, we will never be without something worthwhile to do. Even in Eden, before sin entered man’s world, there was work to be done, Genesis 2:15. That work can be very satisfying. Helping others gives us a joy that cannot be described, and that is what we are saying here – that to be happy allows us to forget our own troubles by giving aid to others who need it. We Are Freed From The Constant Pursuit Of Materialism. David has written in Psalms 37:25: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” God takes care of His people, and that can bring greater joy to all of us. We can abandon the “rat race” and enjoy this life looking with great anticipation to that eternal life. Consider the following words of scripture on this subject: Psalms 127:4-5 “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.” Psalms 144:15 “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.” Proverbs 23:24 “The father of therighteousshallgreatlyrejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.” Ecclesiastes 11:9 “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” The song concludes with these words: “Forget your troubles and just get happy…getting ready for the Judgment Day.” How about that for an ending? Carl B Garner
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 09:07:53 +0000
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