by David Brandt Berg, May 19, 1975
In many religions, the sadder you are the more religious you are supposed to be!--The more you suffer and the sadder you are, that's a sign of being very religious. But it's the opposite with us!--We consider you're not very religious or spiritual unless you're victorious and joyful, smiling and really happy, right?
God and His Word haven't made religion that way, the prophets haven't made it that way, not even Moses made it that way with his strict laws. It was those subsequent religious leaders who changed things and began to interpret things to suit themselves, to exalt themselves and to get a tighter control on the people.--Who as Jesus said, "bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers!" (Mt.23:4)
And of course, I don't see how any people are ever going to be happy without the Lord--truly happy. Even if you supply all their physical needs, they have to have something to satisfy their spiritual needs and their hunger for happiness. Thank God that's what we have, as well as satisfaction for all our physical needs, all of which it takes to make you happy.
Our religion makes us happy, our work makes us happy, our play makes us happy and we have very little that makes us unhappy, except the fact that some other people are not happy. And actually sometimes even our enemies make me happy because of the way they publicise us, and when those that hate us get mad, that almost makes me happy and amuses me, because I know I'm hitting where it hurts. So even those things ought to make you happy!
So thank God for a happy religion and a happy life!--And we should urge others to be happy and to enjoy the same happiness that we have too, amen? If they haven't got it and they see us happy, they're sure gonna wonder why they're not happy!--And I think that is the greatest challenge we have in our sample, when they see how happy we are.
So if you're not happy, I always figure there must be something wrong with you or your religion or your faith or something. Of course, sometimes we can be sick and that may not make us feel very happy for awhile, but that doesn't destroy our total happiness. We can still be very happy in the spirit and mentally and in fellowship with the Family and everything else. It may leave a little something to be desired, health and strength, but it doesn't make us all that unhappy, amen?
So thank God for happiness!--And enjoyment of life, and our religion and the Lord! (Sings:)
"Happy now, happy now,Thank you Jesus! Are YOU happy?