The test of Christian character should be that a man is a joy-bearing agent to the world.
– Henry Ward Beecher
Studies consistently show that Christians are happier than unbelievers. The “happiness dividend” is nearly astounding. Americans consistently list religious and spiritual activities as the happiest, most meaningful, and least stressful things they do, ranking these activities 50% higher than “work and work-related activities.” And “place of worship” is listed as their “happiest place on earth,” while “workplace” comes in next to last.
If you want to be happy, go to church, pray and read your Bible. It won’t guarantee happiness, but it greatly improves your chances.
So, why are Christ-followers happier?
Christ-followers have a way to deal with guilt and to forgive without residual bitterness or shame. Today addiction is of epidemic proportions with either substance addictions or non-substance ones. Substance addictions are alcohol or drugs. Non-substance ones can be anything from gambling, workaholism, video gaming, shopping or sex addictions.
Why are addictions so enticing? Frequently, because they’re a place to hide from guilt. God did not design us to deal with guilt. Like our first parents, we hide in the “fig leaves” of addiction from guilt. Unfortunately, we all have guilt at some level. All of us have done wrong things, what the Bible calls sin. All of us are in spiritual and moral debt. But Christ-followers are free. They’ve accepted Jesus’ free gift of forgiveness. On His cross Jesus paid our guilt debt. His sacrifice gives us freedom from shame because He took our guilt. As those who’ve been forgiven an unpayable debt, we must forgive or and must not hold on to bitterness toward others. We forgive because we’ve been forgiven so much (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Christ-followers have a purpose for life. One of the most common questions asked is, “Why am I here?” In C.S. Lewis’ famous fantasy, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, he writes how in the land of Narnia, when the wicked Ice Queen Jadis cursed an inhabitant of the land, they were turned into dead stone statues. But when Aslan the Lion came to Narnia (Aslan is a symbol of Jesus Christ), he “breathed” on those dead statues and brought them back to life. Those who were “dead as stone” were now “living.”
That’s what’s happened to Christ-followers. They were dead as stones in sin but now in Christ they’ve been made alive spiritually. Now they have a purpose beyond them and this temporary world. They live for the One who made them spiritually alive. God’s purpose is for us to be a “living stone,” joined together with other “living stones” to form the Living Temple of God. It’s being part of something bigger than yourself. It means your life matters now and for all eternity (Jeremiah 29:11).
Christ-followers know all suffering is temporary. None of us are immune to suffering. It’s an expectation of human existence. Christians, too, live lives touched by disease, divorce, homelessness, financial distress, mental illness, abuse, and assault. Believers around the world experience persecution, war, and atrocities that many of us can’t imagine. Why, then, are suffering Christ-followers happy? Because we find our joy in the Lord, not in our circumstances. Yet, it’s more than that. Christ-followers will often share how God has used their suffering to mold and grow them. God uses sufferings in this life to make them more like Jesus.
Suffering means undergoing pain. Nothing about that is easy. Christians, like everyone else cry out in despair, fight depression, and struggle with affliction. Yet, by the power of the Spirit, we do this with joy in our hearts, knowing we’re being transformed into Christ’s likeness. Best of all, we know that the worst in this world is momentary compared to the eternal joy awaiting us in heaven with Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Christ-followers know that justice is coming. The justice of God is a central truth in Scripture. No one will get away with evil or escape God’s justice. Sadly, justice will rarely be found in this world. It’s why Christ-followers have confidence in the absolute justice of God. Many people have stories of being lied to, cheated, mistreated, manipulated, and abused—the list is endless. Yet, for the Christian, there is still joy to be found amid injustice. Why? Because God is absolutely just and will one day settle all accounts. We must leave vengeance to Him and wait for His timing and judgment (Romans 12:14-21).
Christ-followers have a new forgiving family. This world is filled with broken lives, broken relationships and broken families. Sometimes people will say that they don’t go to church because their lives are too messed up and being around church people would make them feel more guilty. What they don’t realize is how messed up the lives are of most people in church.
Christ-followers don’t have perfect, sanitized lives. We have dysfunctional families, sin struggles, regrets, temptations and skeletons in our closest that we wish weren’t there. A church of Christ-followers is full of people broken by sin. Read Church History and you’ll find many Christ-followers who once persecuted Christians. Some in more recent times served as guards in Concentration Camps who later came to know the Lord. There are men and women who came to Christ while incarcerated for horrible crimes. There are those who know what it means to be abandoned, betrayed, victimized, and objectified. In other words, Christ’s Church is full of broken people who’ve been forgiven, transformed and are family – brothers and sisters for eternity. We don’t come together because we’re good, but because our God is great and gracious. We’ve been made new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Christ-followers know that this world is not the end. Death is a great source of anxiety for most. The big question is: “What happens when we die?” The unknown makes death frightening. Christians though find joy in death. How? By knowing death is not the end, Instead, it’s the beginning of eternal life. Paul talks in Philippians 1:21 about his desire to leave this life and be with Christ because it is far better. He says, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. For the Christ-follower it is!
Why are Christ-followers happier? It’s not because of who we are. It’s because of WHO we know and have a relationship with. We’ve met the Savior who gives us grace to face anything. One day we know that He will take us Home forever…and all of that is something to be happy about!