Why have so few discovered the "keys" to personal happiness and peace.
This article reveals the VITAL knowledge that is desperately needed by millions of people
suffering from the tensions and frustrations of this modern world!
THE dog is out, Jane! Why didn't you shut that gate?" "You were the one who left the gate open, John. You never shut it when you come in from work!"
"Jane! I don't like the tone of your voice!"
"Well, it's the truth and you know it, John!"
"Oh, SHUT UP, and get the kids out looking for that dog! You're so hard-headed you never admit ANYTHING you do wrong!"
Typical Family Scene
Ever hear any talk like that?
Of course you have. For that kind of arguing, bickering, accusing and squabbling is par for the course in millions of modern homes.
These millions of husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, brothers and sisters constantly keep each other stirred up, frustrated and emotionally off balance. They may not always be "mad" at each other. But they are upset, competitive and belligerent nonetheless.
Many a young couple has nearly everything going for them. They have a beautiful home, lots of food and clothes, nice car, TV, the works.
But they are wretched. They are miserably unhappy much of the time because of their constant fussing, fighting and turmoil. Why?
They have not learned to guide and RULE their mind and emotions in the proper way! They haven't learned to emphasize the positive and creatively build happiness into their lives.
What Modern Science Has Found — and What the Bible REVEALS In the last few decades, modern science has found increasing evidence that the vast majority of our physical aches, pains and illnesses are either caused entirely — or are heavily contributed to — by our upset human emotions!
During recent years, medical scientists have come to realize that wrong emotions can produce the symptoms of literally dozens of different bodily ills. Common complaints such as gas pains, dizziness, headaches, constipation, pain in the back of the neck, ulcer-like pain, gallbladder-like pain, and tiredness are all included.
Many intelligent people assume they are immune to emotionally induced illness. But as you go up the ladder of human responsibility, mental alertness and capacity, the more emotional problems you will find. For the alert mind can think of ten things to be worried or concerned about in the time a slower mind can think of only one!
The person with greater capacity usually takes on greater responsibilities — which means, usually, more tense emotions. So we have far more heartburn, heart attacks and ulcers, for instance, among top executives than among day laborers.
It is now established scientifically that no matter how intelligent you are your emotions can literally KILL you!
Three thousand years ago, the inspired writer of Proverbs stated a truth that medical science is now just in the process of confirming: "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones" (Proverbs 17:22). This Biblical statement is true in more ways than one, for emotional upset almost literally "dries the bones" of its victims.
A classic example of the above is the manifestation of fibrositis, or muscular rheumatism. It was found that many young men in the service developed this disease during World War I. At that time, it was thought that the disease, which causes pains in the chest and muscular structure of its victims, was due to the wet, miserable and exposed living conditions in the trenches of Northern France. But in the Second World War, almost the same percentage of men in the battle line developed fibrositis. The percentage was the same whether they were fighting in the cold, wet Aleutian Islands, or in hot, dry North Africa.
Later, it was proved that fibrositis was emotionally induced and had no relation whatever to geographical location. Yet the pain is very real — and acts, just like the Proverbs describes, like the "bones were dried" and need an oiling!
But the "merry heart" does GOOD not only in preventing this fibrositis but a multitude of other ills as well — including heart disease and ulcers.
We Must LEARN to be Satisfied
Again, the Proverbs state: "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken" (Proverbs 15:13). And it is certainly true that the man who lets his mind dwell on sorrow, frustration and negative thoughts will literally "break" his spirit or mind in a way that may actually lead to insanity — carried to the ultimate extreme. Emotional brooding and worrying over petty problems or temporary disease only creates a vicious cycle whereby these are much more liable to occur next time! The entire mental attitude becomes negative, the wisdom and judgment is clouded, the drive and enthusiasm is diminished.
Again: "All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast" (verse 15). Often, a very small farmer or day laborer in America or Britain, or a peasant in Asia or Africa may be FAR MORE HAPPY than the business "tycoon" — so filled with the spirit of competition, hostility, resentment, and frustration — in our modern Western world.
In spite of all our material blessings, so many millions of us in this Western world have not learned to be "satisfied." We have not learned to be grateful and thankful for the blessings we have received.
All too often we have great swelling vanity. In our striving for "success," we are easily upset and irritated if things don't go just exactly according to schedule. We become angry or bitter if anyone gets in our way — whether it be in our job, in line at the water cooler, or slowing down our car on the freeway!
Learn to RULE Your Emotions
Growing up in this Western world, most of us are taught how to dress and eat, how to read and write and get along reasonably well in the bare "functioning" of life and earning our daily bread. But we are NOT taught God's spiritual laws of life — nor are we taught how to RULE our emotions properly!
This most important of all knowledge ought to be taught in the home first of all. But the home is often the worst possible example of emotional stability, happiness and obedience to the laws of God, physical or spiritual.
This is a vast subject, and there is room for much more to be said in following articles. Nevertheless, you can start now to teach yourself proper emotional control and responses to life which will greatly aid in producing a really happy, balanced life! It will require effort and concentration at first, especially. In order to be truly effective, it must be practiced diligently as a way of life so that it becomes second nature. The following points are not merely to "skim over" as a matter of interest, but to study, review and use in building a fuller, more balanced and happy life for yourself and your family as you learn to share them with others.
Here, then, are SEVEN STEPS toward overcoming emotional upset and building happiness into your life.
I. Accentuate the Positive and Practice Cheerfulness
How many of you grew up in families where the negative feelings were always stressed, the misfortunes, the frustrations, the dark side of things? Millions have. And this very type of attitude is something to avoid like the plague.
For people who are constantly worrying, harping and complaining are prime candidates for emotionally induced illness. They are the ones who will have the most heart attacks, ulcers and other emotionally induced problems.
At the same time, the man who practices cheerfulness and positive thinking is far happier. He sees good possibilities and incidental joys in nearly everything. He is thankful to God to just be alive. Thankful for the breath of air he breathes, the food he eats, the clothes he wears, the house he lives in. Thankful he has any kind of car to drive — since so many hundreds of millions in other parts of the world do not. Thankful if he has any radio or television at all. This type of individual is one who enjoys a quiet walk out-of-doors — looking at the clouds above, the plants, the trees, the birds and all the beauties of the creation about him. He is one who enjoys visiting with and looking into the eyes of his fellow human beings with warmth and often merriment.
He has determined to enjoy life, not merely endure it.
Back during the Second World War, we here in America were enjoying a cute song that went something like this: "Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, don't mess with Mr. In-between!" This song helped many get over some of the doldrums of the last few years of the Depression, work long hard hours during the Second World War and maintain a generally positive attitude in the face of problems.
Look on the Bright Side
This is the attitude we must create in ourselves if we are to be successful and happy as we want to be. Along with this positive attitude, there must also be a spirit of thankfulness and rejoicing. A most inspiring section of the Bible where these very attitudes are emphasized is in Paul's letter to the Philippians. Here was a time when the Apostle himself was a prisoner of Rome — guarded by a Roman soldier and whose legs were evidently shackled by a literal ball and chain. Yet this man of God writes: "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, REJOICE" (Philippians 4:4).
Then, continuing in verse 8, Paul exhorts: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Here, in plain language, and in a time of personal trial, God's Apostle was plainly telling the Christians of that day to rejoice and to think positively about the things that are true, honest, just, pure and lovely.
Notice that he did not dwell on the probable "unjust" circumstances contributing to his arrest and imprisonment. He did not dwell on the fact that he was bound with a chain and being guarded by a Roman soldier — with perhaps death in the offering if his trial did not turn out well.
This is not a matter of "mind science" or forgetting the real problems that present themselves. But it is a matter of facing those problems with a truly positive and cheerful attitude — even under adverse circumstances.
It is a matter of learning and disciplining yourself not to continually dwell on the negative aspect of things and so defeat your own purposes by brooding and worrying. It is a matter of accentuating the positive things — lightening tight situations with a little bit of humor and cheerfulness wherever possible — and constantly looking on the "bright side" always.