​“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”   ~Proverbs 16:3

How can we ever find happiness and joy in these days of trouble and disasters? The above verse is the one and only key to happiness. But first we need to understand the depth of this proposition. This verse isn’t just talking about committing our work to God, it’s talking about every single, microscopic part of our lives—our plans, our concerns, our finances, our worries, our health, even our thoughts—our entire lives! Everything must be entrusted to the Lord, then and only then will we truly be happy.

This is easier said than done for most of us. We are so impacted by this modern-day, materialistic, hustle-bustle lifestyle, that more times than not, it’s the sole driving force to our every thought. Not until we turn away from the ways of this world, put aside secular thinking, and become consumed with God’s ways, will we ever be free from these earthly worries.

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding.”   ~Proverbs 3:13

So, what really is the secret to success in this very un-natural quest? Surrender! Total and absolute surrender! Every time I start to worry, I tell myself, “God’s got this!” The very moment Satan tempts me to fear the worst, I immediately turn the whole enchilada over to God. Now, whatever I’m worrying about is no longer my concern, it’s been given up to God. And I know, from experience, that He will most definitely handle it, whatever it might be.

​”Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!”   ~ 2 Chronicles 9:7

Surrendering to and trusting in God's wisdom is the only place real happiness exists. If we allow ourselves to believe that we have so much as one little drop of power to change things on our own, we will get caught in the trap! Nope, I can control nothing! I am powerless to change anyone or anything. The only way I can overcome all of my fears is to allow the almighty, all-powerful God that lives in me, to be in complete control.

​“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”   ~1 John 4:4

I’m done trying to be the boss, trying to force my self-centered agenda on God. I’m finally willing to follow where ever He leads. I’ve spent most of my life living for me, for my own selfish desires, living only for my self-serving enjoyment and personal gain. I spent way too many years running and hiding from God. Not until I was at the end of my rope and had nowhere else to turn, did I finally call out to Him and go to the Bible for some answers.

He answered me. He showed me so much, so fast, I could hardly believe what was happening. My eyes were opened. I finally realized that I was running away from my only source of power— running from a God of total forgiveness and absolute love. I got it, I finally understood His big plan, that Jesus died to purchase my life back from eternal death. I knelt down and confessed everything I’d ever done to this all forgiving God, and I was forgiven.

I know, without a doubt, I am completely forgiven. My sins, every stinking one of them, have been exonerated. He changed me, it was nothing I did. I also realized that He never stopped seeking me, it was I that turned away from Him.

As hard as it is to admit, even after I repented that day, I still backslid many times. I’m ashamed to say that I threw God’s forgiveness back in His face more than once, but I did. And those were the times that Satan tried the hardest to convince me that God was done with me—that I had messed up one too many times and God would no longer forgive me.

Without God’s love and dedication, I would have given up on, not only myself but Him as well. Truth is, He never gives up on us—never! His love is so amazing, His forgiveness so endless. God is love. God never gives up on us and never stops forgiving us. And the more we learn to love Him, the less we will desire to do things our way.

There’s a guy in the Bible named Jonah, a rebellious sort much like me. You see, Jonah also ran away from God, and just like me, his rebellion didn’t make him happy, it only made things worse. Things got so bad that Jonah finally decided to drown himself in an effort to control his situation. He chose to kill himself rather than surrender to God, but he failed. Instead, he wound up in the belly of a fish…very much alive. God had a plan for Jonah, even though he resisted, he eventually surrendered to God’s great plan and finally learned the lesson.

​“But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: ‘I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice.’ So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”   ~From the Book of Johan 1 & 2

I’m so glad I didn’t have to become fish vomit in order to get it—to understand that God is in control and is trying, with all His might, to get us to surrender to His loving plan. Surrender friends. Just cast your cares and worries onto Him, give up the delusion that you can control anything, and allow your life to be transformed. Only then will you achieve the ability to become truly happy!

​“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”   ~1 Peter 5:6-7

​Q: Are you ready to be happy?

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