The Key To Happy

The Key To Happy


“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:28

Being Thanksgiving week an article I came across yesterday caught my attention and sparked my interest to read further. It began by saying, “People who struggle with anger struggle equally with ingratitude”. As someone who wants to be more grateful myself I immediately thought of my own life and the times I have become angry to see if I could make the connection. Sure enough, the more I thought about it the more it made sense. Anger and selfishness are tightly woven and often time seen together in the same way grace and peace are in the Bible.

While I have you here is something else to think about along those same lines. It’s been well said, “It’s not happy people who are the most grateful but grateful people who are the most happy.” Gratitude will always take you further in being happy! It’s true and no wonder then why the Bible exhorts us to “give thanks with a grateful heart.” Living in a constant state of gratitude guards our hearts from anger and ingratitude that really do go hand in hand seeking to rob us of our happiness.

Here’s the deal, you will never meet an ungrateful happy person for the simple fact that ingratitude guarantees a life of unhappiness. Angry people are at the core ungrateful as anger is simply the manifestation of our ingratitude. Thats why no one can just choose to not get angry as anger is the end result of ingratitude and not its cause. So how do we become less angry since we can’t control the world and all that goes on around us and even much of what happens to us? In a single word, gratitude.

Have you noticed that angry people and unhappy people tend to be short sided, who often times don’t see the big picture? It’s true and why the writer of Hebrews exhorts us, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” Happy and grateful people look at and for the big picture. It’s safe to say that the happiest and most grateful people are ones who believe in faith that God is in control and that all things work together for good to them that love God and who are called according to His purpose.

Thats why it’s so important to our well being to make time each day to thank God in everything as gratitude is what guards our hearts and what keeps our minds focused the goodness of God. Our God is a blessing God and when we take time to consider all of His benefits today the ledger of things to be thankful for far outweighs everything else. When you think about Thanksgiving this year think of the words “Happy Thanksgiving”. The key to not only a great holiday celebration but to a great life is to remember that Happy and Thanksgiving always go together. To be happy is to be thankful and the more thankful you are the more happy you will be! Here’s praying you have a very Happy Thanksgiving this year!


“Happy are the people who are in such a state; happy are the people whose God is the LORD!”


Psalm 144:15


I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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