In my last blog I mentioned a secular study which demonstrates that people are happier in church than in the mall. Let's take a look at what the Bible says about why this is so. The other week I was reading the book of Isaiah and came upon this passage in chapter 55: Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not break, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.
God is making an incredible statement to us. We can receive from Him food and drink that will truly satisfy us. How? By meeting the deepest needs of our lives, the need of our soul. I can't tell you how many depressed people I meet in the course of my day, not just in counseling, but in my travels to the Wawa, the gas station, among my neighbors. People just gritting their teeth to get though the work week, living for the weekend, or the next buzz to drown their sorrows. God is offering us something much more satisfying and profound, delight at the deepest level of our being, our soul.
How do I know material things are not where it is at when it comes to ultimate satisfaction? Because we are never satisfied. You get a Lexus, and then you see a BMW, so you get that car. And then comes a Ferrari, and you decide you just have to get that instead. And so it goes. Plus, stuff breaks, falls apart, needs to be maintained. And even if you keep it in good condition, someone comes and steals it. Many products do come with a warranty. I even bought something the other day with a "life time warranty." That's great, but I can show you something even better, an eternal guarantee. Look at the next thing God says in Isaiah 55:
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant. Everlasting, that means forever! No wonder people are happier in church compared to the mall!
Blessings,
Dr. Paul
Friday, November 19, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Want to Be Happier? Skip the Mall and Go to Church!
We all know that money can't buy happiness, just talk to some of the wealthy people who come to me for counseling. A new study out of Ben-Gurion University in Israel has found that, especially among women, spending money makes us much less happy than going to church. The study looked at shopping habits compared to participation in religious activities over the last 30 years.
The study used data collected by the Univesity of Chicago's National Opinion Research Council which conducts a "General Social Survey" annually or biannually. They collect information from a sample of adults on their level of happiness. Looking at adults who lived in states where "blue laws" (laws that prohibit commercial activities on Sundays) had been repealed between 1973 and 1988, they looked at the happiness levels of adults who reported regular church attendance. Women especially experienced a sharp decline in church attendance and their happiness levels over the course of the 25 year post-blue law period. The data shoed that blue law repeals decreased the level of happiness by at least 17%, but for people who remained active in church, their happiness level stayed the same. The researchers ruled out the possibility that the declines in happiness were related to other issues like family issues or having to work on Sundays.
What can we take from this study? I have a couple of suggestions. First, God instituted a day of rest for very good reasons. We all need a break from the rat race of life and time to reconnect with the people who are closest to us. Second, God instituted a day of rest for us to honor our Creator. We all need the benefit of corporate worship to reconnect with God and each other. The study actually found that for each point increase in church attendance, self-reported happiness increased by 10.7%! Third, do your best to avoid shopping, going to the mall, etc. on Sundays. This can be tough when you work full time and the weekend is the only chance for running errands and shopping. The study's authors suggest that people institute their own "blue laws" to designate one day of the week as a no shopping day (and let's include on-line shopping as well).
Going to church may not give you the immediate gratification you can get from shopping, but in the long run, you will be happier, and you won't have to worry about credit card debt!
Blessings,
Dr. Paul
The study used data collected by the Univesity of Chicago's National Opinion Research Council which conducts a "General Social Survey" annually or biannually. They collect information from a sample of adults on their level of happiness. Looking at adults who lived in states where "blue laws" (laws that prohibit commercial activities on Sundays) had been repealed between 1973 and 1988, they looked at the happiness levels of adults who reported regular church attendance. Women especially experienced a sharp decline in church attendance and their happiness levels over the course of the 25 year post-blue law period. The data shoed that blue law repeals decreased the level of happiness by at least 17%, but for people who remained active in church, their happiness level stayed the same. The researchers ruled out the possibility that the declines in happiness were related to other issues like family issues or having to work on Sundays.
What can we take from this study? I have a couple of suggestions. First, God instituted a day of rest for very good reasons. We all need a break from the rat race of life and time to reconnect with the people who are closest to us. Second, God instituted a day of rest for us to honor our Creator. We all need the benefit of corporate worship to reconnect with God and each other. The study actually found that for each point increase in church attendance, self-reported happiness increased by 10.7%! Third, do your best to avoid shopping, going to the mall, etc. on Sundays. This can be tough when you work full time and the weekend is the only chance for running errands and shopping. The study's authors suggest that people institute their own "blue laws" to designate one day of the week as a no shopping day (and let's include on-line shopping as well).
Going to church may not give you the immediate gratification you can get from shopping, but in the long run, you will be happier, and you won't have to worry about credit card debt!
Blessings,
Dr. Paul
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