Have you heard this saying: Be Happy, Don’t Worry, everything is gonna be alright? I sure did, and I wondered why just saying the words and maybe singing the song didn’t make me happy. There were often times I would feel sad, afraid, angry, confused, lonely and many more spiritually unhealthy things. I was told just think positive thoughts all the time, but that was just not possible. I have a friend who attends AA meetings, and in those meetings, the participants acknowledged they need a “higher power” to help them. They know that alone they are powerless to overcome addictions.

I grew up in a family that attended church regularly and was familiar with the Bible and the scriptures. Even though my family and friends had God, they were not any happier that I was.  At least, I was sometimes comforted with happiness, contentment and peace, but the comfort did not last long. I really wanted to be happy, content and at peace more often and for longer periods of time.  God heard my prayers. I was very fortunate to find a good friend that went to a different church that had more knowledge and understanding of the scriptures than I had experienced.  Those teachings taught me and helped me to discern and actually know what was going on in my mind. It was through my friend and this little church that I truly learned about God’s “Higher Power” to help me overcome all those unhealthy thoughts and feelings.

I then began my search to see how many scriptures talk about this topic. Low and behold there were very, very many scriptures. I found out that the “problem” was definitely within the thoughts of my mind.  Proverbs 24:9 says that “the thought of foolishness is sin.” I knew some things about sin but I did not understand that I could actually get “rid” of sin.  As I studied and searched through the scriptures, I discovered God’s wisdom was there all the time. The power is from God and it is called grace.  In Zechariah 12:10 God tells His people, “I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace…” and King David in Psalm 103:12 teaches, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” What a joy it was to my soul to see the evidence that all those negative, hurtful thoughts could be “cast out”.  They can be removed from anyone desiring God’s grace power to work in their lives.

Matthew 15:19 says, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” Yep! The problem lies within the thoughts of our heart. This has to be our “spiritual” heart or mind because the physical heart has no thoughts.  What a blessing to discover that it is the evil thought that causes us to worry and not be happy.  God will help us overcome negative thoughts with His spiritual power of grace! Our true enemies are those negative, hurtful thoughts in our minds. Thankfully Jesus had that power and gave it to his disciples.  The “happy” news for us is that power is still available. Now I can honestly say “Be Happy, Don’t Worry!” Gods’ got this, and we can get it, too.