Happiness is a subject that has fascinated me for several years. Since January 2016, my wife and I have traveled the world full-time. We travel slowly, typically staying in a country on a tourist visa for as long as possible. We like to experience local culture as much as we can. We have been exposed to and have visited many people with a lifestyle I previously would have called “poor’ due to their lack of material goods and conveniences that most people in the Western world would call “necessities.” Actually, many of these people live rich lives with close family and community relationships, and sufficient food and shelter. I now refer to them as leading “simple lives” rather than thinking of or calling them poor.
This illustrates the truth of the adage that “money can’t buy happiness.” We had seen it many times in our travels over the previous eight years. People worldwide who lead simple lives are often just as happy, if not happier, than those with abundant physical goods. This observation started my quest to examine scientific research and data about what makes humans happy. I took the Harvard University course “Managing Happiness” online. I read books and articles, listened to podcasts, and watched lectures on happiness.
One day, while visiting Australia, I flipped on the TV to the local station. On a morning news and lifestyle program, they interviewed Hugh van Culyenberg, author of the book, “The Resilience Project: Finding Happiness Through Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness.” I learned that Hugh had spoken to over one million people in Australia about leading a happier life by practicing these principles. His book related how he arrived at this formula for happiness through personal experience as a teacher in rural India and through his academic study. The title of his book resonated with me as I discovered through my research that these three things are some of the top drivers of happiness consistently documented in multiple studies.
What also struck me at that moment was that these three things are some of the core teachings of the Christian Bible: gratitude or thankfulness, empathy or love, mindfulness or prayer and meditation. These are some of the top things scientists, psychologists, and researchers found were critical drivers of happiness. I have probably heard hundreds of sermons on these subjects as a Christian.
Love – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16 KJV)
Thankfulness – “In everything give thanks” (I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)
Prayer – “Pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17 KJV)
I usually heard these subjects taught as requirements for living a Christian life. Watching the interview with Hugh van Culyenberg, I realized that following Biblical principles not only leads you to a closer walk with God but will also give you a happier, more fulfilling life.
Psalms 139:14 says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (KJV). God created all humans with common physical characteristics: arms, legs, eyes, heart, lungs, etc. Over millennia, humanity has learned how to treat and care for our bodies to maximize our physical well-being. Medical science has figured out how the physical body works, and this knowledge can be used to fix broken limbs, treat diseases, and help us lead physically healthier lives.
Humankind is not just a physical creation. Our minds and emotions were created with the same care and order as our physical bodies. We have mental and emotional needs. Scientists, doctors, and psychologists continue to discover the intricacies and inner workings of the human mind and psyche and what we can do to take care of and improve our mental health.
The primary purpose of the Bible is to help our spiritual life. As II Timothy 3: 16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (KJV).
Although the primary purpose of the Bible is to equip us for a more excellent spiritual life, since God, our creator, inspired the Bible’s words, following the Bible’s critical teachings will also enable us to live happier lives.
Most of the time, the Bible does not explicitly say, “If you do this, you will be happier.” Yet, time after time, scientific studies show that following core Biblical principles will lead to a happier life.
So, the good news is that there are things that you can do that will increase your happiness and improve your mental health. There is action that you can take. Your happiness does not depend solely on chance, present circumstances, or personal disposition. Science and research have shown us how to improve our happiness and well-being. As a Christian, the even better news is that the findings show that the key drivers of human happiness follow the core teachings of the Bible.
In future articles, I will cover many of the latest scientific research findings on happiness, how they relate to crucial Biblical teachings, and how to apply them to increase your happiness.
