Harris Poll Findings Reveal That Fewer Americans Are Happy

I'm a big fan of the Drudgereport.com because Matt Drudge is the leading newsman in the world and the king of internet news. He included this story on his site this week. It is a story about the latest Harris Poll findings that describe the "happiness index" in a downward trend. Harris found that only one third of Americans described themselves as "very happy".
So what is the problem? We hear everyday how the great American economy is getting better so why not get happy? The truth is that the American economy is not getting better. This story reveals that the average American's wealth has decreased 55% from the great recession of 2008. Maybe people are unhappy because they are broke, I don't know. Perhaps people are unhappy because we sit on the precipice of WW3. If you don't believe that opinion I encourage you to watch the following video
Personally, I think there is too much emphasis on "happiness" and not enough attention paid to "joy". Happiness is a fleeting buzz of adrenaline that we get when things are going good. It is a circumstance driven emotion. When my boss pats me on the head and I shoot a par round of golf then I might be happy, at least for the rest of the day. If however, the next day everything goes wrong I may become unhappy. Happiness is just not consistent or very sustainable. In fact, in the Bible the word "happy" is found only 28 times and the word "happiness" is never mentioned. In contrast, the word "joy" is found 165 times and "joyful" 25 times  Happiness loses out to joy by a whopping score of 190 to 28.
I think God is far more interested in our joyfulness rather than our happiness. Joy is that inner conviction that no matter what my current situation all will be well because of my relationship to the Creator. Those fortunate folks who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ have an inner conviction that if the economy collapses to nite or WW3 breaks out tomorrow their eternal destination is safe in the Lord. It was joy that bolstered the faith of hymn writer Horatio Spafford. Spafford lost his fortune in the Great Fire of Chicago and all four of his daughters in a ship wreck on the Atlantic. Spafford, like Job, could look at the tragedies of life and still be joyful. A fabulous re-telling of this story can be found here.  Horatio Spafford penned these faith filled words in a boat that was directly over the watery graves of his children.

"It Is Well With My Soul"

When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
What ever my lot you have taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul

Though the devil will ruin, though trials may come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And He shed His own blood for my soul

It is well, with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul

It is well, with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight
And the clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul 

Dear Reader, is it well with your soul? Are you trusting Jesus as Saviour? Are you ready for the days ahead? Come to Jesus, He is waiting for you.