Three Ways Our Faith May Increase Our Happiness
Several years ago a study was conducted to measure the so-called “Happiness Index” of men and women. Pollsters asked several hundred people of both sexes to name activities they routinely did, whether it was running errands at the grocery store or picking up kids from school. Additionally, the respondents were asked to describe how they felt as they executed each activity. One of the activities common to both groups was spending time with parents. Men enjoyed the activity more than women, the former seeing it as “bonding”, and the latter as “feeling like work”.
After tabulating the results, pollsters came across some surprising results: there is a growing “happiness gap” between men and women.
Are men “happier” than women? And if so, why? I decided to look at that question from a counter-cultural perspective; that is, if one inserts faith as a barometer of happiness, how would the sexes fare? Happiness, though, is an elusive quality and, obviously, is relative to not only how one perceives happiness, but where one experiences happiness via their social and economic location.
So, to narrow the question, I wondered: Are Christian men happier men? There are not tons of research from which we can deduce an answer, but there are studies that point to increased levels of happiness among people of faith as opposed to the “religiously unaffiliated”.
Here is one thing for certain: Faith is an undeniable factor in how we respond to the challenges of life. The better (or more efficiently) we respond to our challenges as men, the higher our “happiness quotient”, according to studies.
Yet secular studies are not the only source-proofing in this regard.
It has been noted, and research conducted by the author Patrick Glynn, appears to prove that a faith-based, spirit-grounded lifestyle is good for both our physical and mental well-being. In other words, as men, we tend to respond better to our life challenges when we do so from foundation of faith and belief.
Patrick Glynn is the author of God, The Evidence: The Reconciliation of Faith and Reason in a Post-Secular World, published in 1999.
Glynn persuasively argues that “at its heart is the dawning realization that the universe, far from being a sea of chaos, appears instead to be an intricately tuned mechanism whose every molecule, whose every physical law, seems to have been designed from the very first nanosecond toward a single end – the creation of life.”
Order, design and life in the spirit are the pillars of faith in the unknown. The faith we are in possession of – indeed which possesses us – is the stuff we use to make sense of what is not always evidentiary. What we ‘believe’ may actually conspire to increase our level of happiness. ‘Faith’ spoken of here is not denomination, it is personal creed, it is personal devotion and it is grounded in a personal relationship with a Higher Power.
Life is first and inner experience. All of the peace and security we are seeking is within us, writes Susan L. Taylor, former Editor-At-Large at Essence Magazine.
This ‘inner experience’ has its fair share of benefits; thus, when we engage it, we come out of it better men.
Here are three ways our faith may increase our happiness.
We Handle Stress Better
Life in the spirit equips a person to handle stress more effectively. According to Glynn, high levels of faith commitment correlate with lower levels of depression and stress, and give us a greater ability to cope with stress.
When we live in the Spirit, we tend to see our struggle differently than those who do not. We see the end before the beginning; we see success where others may see only failure; we see ourselves a growing through our challenges as opposed to merely just going through them.
We Have Something to Believe In
Established ways of believing contribute to a meaningful experience; when you believe in something – faith, creed, and principle – you extract meaning from it. Indeed, Glynn opines that believers with well-grounded belief systems consistently report greater overall happiness and satisfaction with life and are generally more positive about life.
Faith affords us a dimension of life that flows from direct communion with a Higher Power, a communion nurtured by prayer, ritual, meditation and worship. Faith gives us the centered experience.
We Are Part of Something Bigger
Attaching oneself to a larger cause can be one of the most fulfilling experiences in life. Why? Because when we do so, we discover it’s not all about our self-contained, whimsical desires. One of the areas of my life where I’ve found this to be especially true is in worship and praise. What an experience to come together with others and perform such a beautiful act as worship! Your outlook on your challenge is immensely impacted when you worship with others who face their own obstacles. Indeed, we are able to worship within the confines of home on any given day of worship, but I would argue there’s something missing when we neglect the “assembling of ourselves together”.
In fact, according to Glynn’s findings, people who did not attend church were four times as likely to commit suicide than were frequent attendees. That’s huge. That means we share a not only a common faith, but a common destiny, as well.
The evidence is overwhelming: the greater our faith, the more victorious we live our lives.
Personally, I believe it is crucial to be as consistent as possible in our daily faith walk as men. We’ve got to do the work; we must pray, we must meditate, we must engage in reading and study of Holy Scripture and we must engage in praise and worship communally. So often, as men, we isolate ourselves from others, attempting to rely on our individual strength and acumen.
We are not islands. We are social creatures. We serve a Higher Purpose and calling as leaders of our families and communities. We must nurture our faith daily.
Faith is an undeniable factor in facing the challenges of life.
Pastor W. Eric Croomes can be reached at PastorCroomes@Outlook.com and on Facebook @PastorWEricCroomes
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