Box 3 – Life Options for Happy and Secure
Recognising that there is an inbuilt moral judge in ach of our hearts, from our Conscience, measuring us according to the ‘Law of Love’ - is a fundamental understanding of what we are, how we work, and what will make us happy by the absence of unhappiness.
Despite his stated belief that there is no divine intervention into the world, despite it being created by God, Mo Gawdat does conclude that the way to happiness is by doing good for other people. This gives the recipient a real buzz feeling of happiness.
In his beautiful book, sharing his profound insights and tragic losses, Gawdat introduces his book ’Solve For Happy’ by stating that he does not intend to describe happiness, but instead to try to avoid the unhappiness which spoils our happiness. He does a good job, but all the teaching of techniques and attitudes that he describes, rely on you controlling your own negative thoughts – whenever they may surface, with your own emotional and psychological effort.
But God could help massively!!
A book was written with an intriguing title: ‘What is Good – The Search for the Best Way to Live’ by A.C. Grayling.
It begins however, by explaining that the author has decided to leave out any mention of God, from this consideration, which of course seriously minimises the value of the book, since:
“ Every good come from God” Js 1:17.
Similarly, for Mo Gawdat to exclude God from his consideration of the pursuit of happiness and healing is a significant omission from such a big question – What is happiness?
If a Creator God does not exist, then by all means, let us try to manage our life traumas and wounds, with love and techniques, in any way that can help our pain – in our own strength.
But if there genuinely is, a very powerful Creator God, who sent His Word to us in the form of a man called Jesus the Messiah (or Christ), to teach us how God works, then we immediately see that 70% of the Gospels filled with stories of Jesus, are about Him healing people.
His followers were so much living in happiness and peace, that if they were not received well in a place where they blessed the occupiers with peace, they were to kick the dust off their feet, and their peace would return to them. Their peace was a major influencer and guide of their behaviour.
In the Torah, or Injil – “The Lord will fight for you, while you have only to hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14
After decades of research, Fr Adrian Van Kaam composed a schematic for understanding our human condition, and the spheres of influence which influence our choices and our happiness<
When we consider the 4 main spheres of influence on us: Our relationships, Media influences, Our internal processing and our immediate situation, and place ourself as the controller of all these areas, many with aspects we cannot control – then we are very likely to feel overwhelmed and fearful.
However, when we place God in the middle of all these spheres of influence, asking and trusting that He will influence all these areas of input to us, we can more readily find the peace that only God can give.
Happiness is found, only when all these areas of your life are reconciled and at peace – and if one area if dissonant or uneasy, then we should go out of our way to bring harmony and peace to that area.
Bringing God into all these areas, and trusting that He wants the best for you, will quickly bring happiness, peace and contentment into your life.
Relationships Formation: (These have the potential to have the greatest influence on us, and by us)
Past –
To interpret your past through God’s eyes, knowing that He can turn everything into good for you, is to understand the constructive aspects of any negative events:
All things work together for good, for those who love the Lord’
You are a spiritual being. There is a spiritual battle taking place on the Earth – fighting over you, and your happiness – each side influencing you in your thoughts, decisions, and your actions.
No matter what has occurred in your past, good, bad or terrible, you will be formed by it – shaped as a person journeying through life and the world, strengthened by trials and difficulties to help others, but there are often deep wounds and broken hearts which remain.
He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to set captives free
There will have been moments when your Guardian Angel inspired or nudged you to a safe place; and other times when you ignored those intuitive warning signs, and found yourself in a bad situation which you regret.
God’s Drastic Big Plan to Save Souls
God wants everyone to be good and make it to Heaven and avoid eternal damnation – this life is just a testing ground of our formation - hence we see peace is promised to people who desire to do good (good will) by following their clear conscience:
“Peace to men of good will”
And otherwise, such peace and contentment will be denied to those who do not try to do good but what is bad:
“There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked”
Conscience – God’s Law of Love written in every person’s heart is unchangeable, and life teaches us that whenever we act against this Law, we will lose our peace and happiness. This loss of peace and happiness happens, even if we rationalise and justify our bad behaviour – our quiet moments will still be troubled.
As we get older, we usually ‘get it’ and learn the lesson, and so avoid this disquiet in our quiet moments, and loss of peace and happiness, by doing what gives us peace, being good – which also makes us feel warm and joyful.
Forming our Conscience, is a misnomer, we don’t form the truth – but instead we form our values of behaviour, in the light of our immoveable Conscience – which then gives us pleasure or pain.
Before an action, our Conscience guides us to know what the ‘good’ option is; After an action, our Conscience will again remind you of the ‘good’ option, with pleasure or pain (disquiet or joy). But in between these reminders, your Conscience leaves you free to exercise your free will.
To ‘be good’ then, is to follow your Conscience – which is the Voice of God. We recall Jesus the Word of God made flesh, saying:
My sheep hear My Voice
And so, God as a loving Father of all mankind, has arranged to connect parents and children closely, also using the strong love bond between them, as leverage to ensure their wellbeing and happiness.
A parent’s prayers for their children are very powerful; A father’s blessing upon his child carries great weight in the spiritual world, and the first Commandment with a promise is for children to:
“Honour your mother and father, so that it will go well with you and you will have a long life in the land.”
There is also a second Commandment which links parents to their children in a very important way – God’s Command number 1 – top of the list of instructions…
You are to serve or worship no other entity except God, because God knows, if you do, Evil powers will mess you up – big time!!
So, to prevent the serious risk to your peace, happiness and future damnation, God promises to inflict punishment upon innocent children for their ancestors’ sins, down to the 3rd or 4th generation (those they may live to see affected) of the adult sinning
For I am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate Me, down to the third and fourth generation; but showing love down to the thousandth generation of those who love Me and keep my commandments.”
THIS IS GOD’S BIG PREVENTIVE PLAN TO STOP ADULTS SINNING – USE THEIR LOVE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO SAVE THEM FROM HELL.
This comes as a shock to many people, who believe that a loving God would never afflict an innocent child, but God sees the bigger picture, and this decree from God has been written, unchanged, as Commandment Number One - for thousands of years.
“Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
[During the last century, the different Faiths have all forgotten to teach this Big Preventive Plan of God: to punish children for their parents sins, Jews from the Torah; Muslims from the Tawrah, and Christians from the Torah and Gospels. This was due to confusion – which has since been clarified, about a verse in the book of Ezekiel.]
It is important to point out that not all disease or failure is due to the effects of parental sin, since Jesus taught that a man had been born blind so that God’s works may be seen in him.
“Jesus saw a man who had been blind since birth. His disciples asked him: ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he be born blind?’ Jesus replied: Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him’.
But before anyone is tempted to make a Gospel out of a verse here, we notice that Jesus did not correct the premise of their question regarding generational effects of sin, and Jesus even repeats their words. Also, in a later parable Jesus even uses this principle of parental sin affecting his children:
“A debtor… Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife, and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.”
So, God has decreed that those who follow His Law (the Law of Love itemised in the Commandments), will be blessed in all that they do, including health and contentment.
God has also decreed that those who don’t follow His Law of Love will not be blessed, experiencing failure, ill-health and loss.
The temptations from Evil are trying to get you to break God’s Law, so that then God’s decree is enacted and the Devil can legally oppress you – also your children to the 3rd or 4th Generation, as a deterrent from you sinning. I know, not fair on the children, but then neither is you spending an eternity in Hell.
[Note: The good news about realising that a curse is operating in your life, is that this influence is already happening anyway – and by realising what is going on, you can break the curse and change your life to one of health and well-being. Blessing or Curse, you can choose?]
Having said this, many saints suffered painful disease and injustice, and we realise that sacrifice e.g. fasting or offering up some sickness or discomfort, is a powerful currency in the spiritual realm, adding power and blessings to your life and your family.
God’s permissive will/ Divine Will – The Fall
Future -
God has a plan – for you to prosper
God Who Speaks
Redemption, struggle – peace
GOAL -Abandonment – trust – peace and joy
World/ Media influences:
Past –
Herd approval – safety
Artificial relationships and perception – peer pressure
God is dead? Entire generation desperate and hopeless experiment
Flesh unhindered – need for control – body beautiful – music
Future –
Understand Law of Love – formation of conscience
Understanding Media Control of the world – Antichrist
Hold on to your peace – recognise deception
Soap opera series – Flesh values of infidelity, pride and revenge
Internal processing of input:
Immediate situation: