Happiness is a Choice

Everyone would like a happy life. Beyond the basic needs that are fundamental for human survival, we need love, joy, friendship, confidence, peace and security to maintain our emotional stability. If you are looking for these, seek no further. God has endowed nature to sustain all its inhabitants- primarily Human beings. However, due to the uneven distribution of power and privilege some are getting surplus while others are on the fringe of survival. To a large extent the circumstances we live in dictate our emotional state. For instance, extreme poverty equals misery while success equals comfort and satisfaction. This has created a strong ambition in man to improve his wellbeing and as a result, the world has emerged from a primitive state to civilization through education, hard work and wise choice of leaders. The success of a man is usually as a result of his determination. We admire individuals and groups who strived to rid themselves of poverty, oppression, ignorance and other factors that put them at a social disadvantage. These include among others Martin Luther King Junior, the great black American hero who initiated and won the struggle against racial discrimination. Former South African president Nelson Mandela who resisted apartheid and our very own Rwanda Defence forces, RDF who led by President Paul Kagame stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Did I forget to mention Barrack Obama who recently became the first black American president? This means that in spite of the circumstances, man possesses inner strength and zeal to overcome any situation that limits his emotional well-being. The examples I mentioned above illustrate how sure victory is when one is engaged in a worthy cause. God who looks out for the interests of all is sure to provide the courage and strength it takes to overcome a bad situation. The struggle might involve setbacks and heavy losses but as a wise man once said, there is no gain without pain…even Jesus Christ paid his life for our salvation. So when you can no longer bear an unhappy circumstance, do not just give up on life or wait passively for God to intervene. God is able to give you the best but you have to claim it through the power he put in you (refer to Ephesians 3: 20). Therefore our happiness is a result of the choices we make and if they are good, God will see us through. Be blessed. Contact: jidgas@gmail.com