To the Editor:
During November Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. However Americans are more unhappy and unthankful than ever. The Bible is true when it says in the last days people would be lovers of themselves and unthankful. (2 Timothy 3) Millions aren’t thankful for President Trump. Americans should be thankful they have a president and not a dictator as many countries have. Studies show only one-third of Americans say they are happy. The most unhappy are young people under 30 years old. Dennis Prager said, “You can’t be happy if you aren’t grateful, and you can’t be good if you aren’t grateful. Almost everything good flows from gratitude and almost everything bad flows from ingratitude. Ingratitude guarantees unhappiness!”
The American Declaration of Independence says all are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among them the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Abraham Lincoln said we are as happy as we decide to be. We can decide to do what the Bible says and we will be happier. The most important thing to do to be happy is as Proverbs 16 says, “… and whoever trusts in the Lord (Jesus), happy is he.” The Bible says in everything give thanks, forgive, and be humble and not think too much about oneself. The Bible says do to others as you would have them do to you. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Jesus) and these other things (happiness) will be added to you. The Bible says act lovingly regardless of your feelings. C.S. Lewis said the more loving you act the more love you will feel. In the same way the happier we act, the happier we will feel. Christians aren’t controlled by feelings because it’s how we act that affects others, not how we feel!
Christians showing joy in every circumstance is a powerful witness to the world. To the world happiness is based on happenings. Christians’ joy comes from within and is a sense of tranquility that’s not affected by circumstances. Joy is one of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), a result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. Psalm 16:11 says “in your (Jesus) presence there is fullness of joy.” The Bible in Philippians 4 says, “rejoice in the Lord (Jesus) always.” Notice the location of our joy: “in the Lord.” Not in social media, popularity, wealth, health, happiness or circumstances. If Jesus is your Savior and coming King you can experience His joy every day. When you choose Jesus, you choose joy and the happiest eternity!
Economists like Thomas Sowell say American poor are the envy of the poor of the rest of the world. Most people of the world eat the same thing every day and are glad to have it. World Vision reported that if you have clean water and a decent bathroom, you are richer than one-third of the world’s population. Millions of Hispanics made the dangerous journey to America to enjoy the riches, liberty and opportunity unprecedented in world history we take for granted. Doctors say it’s good for our health to be thankful. Human psychology is such, we aren’t made happy by what we acquire, but by what we are thankful for or appreciate. Rich is determined not by what we have but how little we need. The Bible says if you have food and clothes be content. In many ways most Americans are richer than kings were 200 years ago. Kings didn’t have air conditioning, telephones or as many choices of food and entertainment.
The Bible commands in everything give thanks to God. Christians are the most thankful people because they are thankful first and always to Jesus who with His precious blood fully paid for all our sins on the cross. C.S. Lewis wrote, “We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is ‘good’ because it is good, if ‘bad,’ because it works in us patience, humility and contempt of this world and hope of our eternal country.” The proper attitude for America is the attitude of gratitude and the proper posture for America is kneeling in thanksgiving to God for the great blessings we have taken for granted.

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton