Perspective in Life

I once worked with someone (a temporary job at SunTrust in Virginia) who commented on how happy I was all the time. She also hated my church, which back in the 90s was the normal thing to do for many Protestant denominations. But even with this hatred, she looked past it and could enjoy talking with me, which she did a lot.

When my assignment was coming to an end, of which I was sad (they paid me over $10 an hour, which was good for a temp at the time), this lady -- I'll call her Sarah -- she asked me, "You have to tell me. How are you so happy all the time?" This was on my very last day.

I answered, "Would you believe me if I told you?"

"Go ahead. Tell me."

"It's the church I belong to. It gives me perspective in life and makes me happy."

At first, Sarah seemed to hate the answer, but it was what it was. I told her the truth, and it was for her to consider as I walked out that door, never to return again. I have no idea how she took that piece of information -- and I wonder if she even remembers it. Did she eventually change her attitude toward my church?

When I was young, I don't think I had much reason to be sad because I felt like I knew how everything fit together. Part of this was religious, and part was all the science and math I was learning. When you already know how everything works, you can spend a lot less time worrying: "Do I matter?" or "Why do I need to be a good person?" or "Why should I even try?"; and spend a lot more time actually enjoying life and doing things. Then it becomes a self-reinforcing loop because I get to experience first-hand what my perspective already teaches me.

In other words, I know it works because it has helped me in my life countless times.

So, what exactly in this perspective causes this much happiness? I've tried to analyze it, and this is the best I can do for right now.

Most Christian denominations believe in this fact in common: We are not perfect, and we all sin. But Christ can save us from our sins. We can repent and benefit from His Atonement, which means our sins can be washed away and we have a real shot to make it into heaven. Overall, it's a positive message.

Ironically, this same exact message can also be a downer. Some denominations seem to focus on the sin and "we're not worthy" aspect. Or even the predetermination aspect, which means we can't change what we're about to do. "So why even try?" We're lesser beings and can never even hope to be on the same level as God. It's almost like beating oneself on the back all the time ... kind of like that scrupulosity I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.

But I've found that those who understand my own church's doctrine will see this in a much different light. We have some new pieces of doctrine, which I think contributes to an overall positive message. It's the whole "children of God" aspect. God didn't create us solely to have creatures worship him all the time. Rather, he created entities and provided them the means to live up to their full potential, knowing full well that they will mess up and make mistakes along the way.

Much like how a father raises a child. The father wants the child to succeed, so he may punish when needed, but he will also reinforce and support the child so that possibly they can do better in life than he did.

My church does indeed state in its doctrine that if we live a good life, we can actually become like God in the next life. In heaven we will continue to grow, continue to learn, becoming more perfect each and every day.

And I've believed this in my core my entire life. The worth of each soul is great in the eyes of God. We are ALL important. And we all have incredible potential. We are made up of intelligence that cannot be destroyed, and is capable of so many great things.

And shouldn't that make everyone happy? Knowing who I am and what I'm capable of has allowed me to see how everything falls into that perspective -- exactly how I fit in. And it has helped me push forward with endless determination, endless optimism, and a sense of success before it happens.

So, give it a try. Looks at how the world works around you. Enjoy the patterns, and find your place in it all, and I promise a good experience, and perhaps even ... happiness.