Achieving Joy and Happiness through faith. All of us deserve to be happy and cheerful. I am definitely doing that. We are all in search of answers. We read self-help, philosophy, and psychology books. We pursue meditation and practice yoga and exercises.
True faith lays the foundation for a happy life by providing perspective and answering the difficult questions of life.
It helps one to appreciate that we exist to have joy in order to understand one’s divine beginnings, one’s purpose on earth, and other key aspects and doctrines of the “Plan of Happiness” which a loving God thoughtfully prepared for His children.
I believe we all deserve to be happy in life. And the outcome of having faith in oneself is joy. Because, of all the peoples of the world, we have the greatest cause to be full of joy. Yet life comes in and robs us of joy occasionally. We’re supposed to sense it, but we just don’t sometimes. The question arises: is there any happiness that we only have to wait for? Does it all come down on us.
We believe we would be a lot happier if we had more income, a higher IQ, a better marriage, more friends, more happy kids, lived in a warmer climate, or believed in God.
In the lives of many people today, there seems to be a great lack of joy. Many feel hesitant to become excessively vocal about their religion or overly excited.
What lies at the root of our hesitation, I am not sure. Interestingly enough, the Bible never urges us to “rejoice,” but it encourages us to do so (“I will say it again: rejoice!” Phil. 4:4). In brief, what can we do to make our joy work?
In our religious life, there is a lot of happiness, like when mothers and babies come to church for the first time after forty days to be blessed and show appreciation for God’s grace and goodness.
Happiness is often present in baptisms when a newly illuminated child or adult is united with Christ and accepted into the faith community.
And, like our annual cycle of fastings and celebrations, the weekly liturgies through which we connect with Christ and with each other become a constant source of strength and happiness, helping to deepen our faith and to give us a sense of renewal and happiness year after year.
During the extraordinary Feast of the Holy Passover, we transcend pleasure and feel profound spiritual joy. We express our faith in many ways; there is happiness and harmony with the faithful who pray and believe, who love God and one another, whether with candles, incense, beautiful hymns, or icons.
A psychological state of mind, commonly desired by the human race of all ages, is happiness, described as contentment, enjoyment, and joy. In the pursuit of money, love, and strength, people seek this elusive aspect.
Academics and psychotherapy practitioners have well reported the positive role of religion as a vital regimen in human crisis management.
There are two dimensions to happiness in the religion of Islam. The happiness of the body and the happiness of the soul—and they are inseparable. While the physio-psychological pleasure of this world may be enjoyed by both believers and non-believers, the happiness of eternal life hereafter can only be achieved through unconditional faith in God and acts of righteousness.
Through faith, a true believer in Islam is able to bear the ups and downs of this physical world without despair. “And whoever follows My guidance, there shall be no fear of them, nor shall they grieve.”
The aim of every true religion is to bring us into being with one another and with our creator. When people know and feel wholeness, I believe that they come to know the deep joy inside, because that’s how we are created.
St. Augustine of Hippo, the great Christian theologian, wrote, “Our hearts are restless, Lord, until they find their rest in you.”Resting in the Lord brings joy because it is free from fear and anxiety.
It is also true that any religion is practiced by human beings, who are sometimes frail and immoral and harm each other. Religion has been misused as a tool. But it will bring goodness, not discord, if a religion is real and is sincerely practiced.
Jesus taught his followers how to love, “so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). You won’t feel lonely and insecure in your life when you have confidence, because you know that there is someone who is all-powerful, who always takes care of you and protects you. And it will make you so happy just to have faith alone.
However, the path to joy has not always been an easy one to navigate. It is obvious that the expression of joy would not push God upon us. Like a host throwing a party, who invites you to the event in full hope that you will enjoy yourself completely, he offers everything you need for a good time-the atmosphere, the food, the people-but your attitude and actions determine how much you enjoy the event.
Joy is not just something that is felt inside, it must be cultivated and practiced. Happiness is fleeting and random, but joy is nurtured and grown.
Life is so busy, hectic, and full of challenges. There is also a multitude of opportunities for personal enrichment, satisfaction, friendship, love, purpose-finding, and doing good for others. Yet, while the desire for and pursuit of joy and happiness may sometimes seem elusive or fleeting.
Life is an accumulation of small moments for most individuals. Of course, there are momentous events that take place in the life of a person that can precipitate a drastic shift, change direction, embark on a new path. Yet, daily life, full of small, almost inconsequential moments, is still going on. The little things are where you can find your joy and make you feel good.
It is easier to find joy if you encourage yourself to be happy. While that may sound too good to be true, it works. Feel the delight of going down on a hot day to the cool water in the pool.
Savor a favorite meal’s scent and taste and appreciate the company of a family of lovers. These are the little things that are taken for granted too much, and they contribute greatly to happiness.
It is more than a straightforward proposal. Science underpins it. When you smile, according to studies, not only do you cause smile muscles in others, you also benefit. Smiling stimulates neuronal pathways related to well-being and pleasure in the brain. Especially when you do it on a regular basis, it also feels good to smile.
Everyone has something in their life to be grateful for. Practicing faith fills us with a sense of intent that is necessary for happiness and general well-being and allows us to handle life’s ups and downs.
In fact, Thomas G. Plante, editor of the book Religion, Spirituality and Positive Psychology: Understanding the Psychological Fruits of Faith, reviewed more than 20 studies conducted between 1996 and 2012 and found that this was a consistent outcome. Studies have shown that, overall, individuals who participate on a daily basis in spiritual or religious practices are less likely to engage in behaviors such as substance abuse, casual sex, and smoking.
They display fewer incidences of alcoholism, anxiety, and depression and enjoy greater physical health. “Even if people are not religious, but participate in a regular religious practice, they do well,” Greg explains this. “Religion promotes feelings of social connection and, more specifically, engages you in the feeling of doing something good for others.”
In conclusion, Joy and happiness come through faith, that is, from believing in God. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13). “I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith” (Philippians 1:25).
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