Feb 23, 2018
By Rob Appel
Executive Director
Last May I received a birthday card from my daughter and her family. When you opened up the card, the song by Pharrell Williams entitled “Happy” started playing. My youngest granddaughter procured the card immediately and it is now her card. Why? Because when she opens it and the music starts playing, her whole face beams! It obviously makes her happy.
Have you ever noticed how one person can affect the whole room with their attitude? If they are happy, then all are happy. If they are sad, then everyone is gloomy. And if they are angry, everyone else is just a bit annoyed. Fortunately this is not true in all cases — however when that one person has such influence that it permeates the whole atmosphere, then it becomes a problem.
I was talking to Pastor Bob Peet of the Kingdom of God church in Kingman, Arizona, in early February. While we were talking, I shared a story with him about when I was in Brazil in 2011 with Pastors Andrew Samuels and George Calhoun and we were taking turns preaching in the evenings. We all had prepared separately, and yet our sermons were very similar.
The night that Pastor Andrew was preaching I was praying for him and the message when a clear strong voice told me that I was to preach on something completely different the next night at a church that we had not been to before. The next evening, not prepared to preach something else, I said to our interpreter Pastor Jonas Sommer, “I am not going from the script, and I will try not to race out too far in front so you can interpret.” That
was a scary moment for both of us!
I spoke about forgiveness. I cannot remember anything that I said that night. It was from God and aimed straight at their ears and hearts. I do remember talking about people sitting right there in the church — that they were finding it very hard to forgive someone who had done them wrong; and that they still get angry when they think of all the bad things people did to them in the past.
I know the message was about the fact that they had to make a choice to forgive and they needed to allow someone to apologize and then be able to move on. When I was done with the message that night we had an alter call…and everyone came forward for prayer and forgiveness. EVERYONE!
If you are harboring any resentment, un-forgiveness, slander, anger, or malice in your heart and mind, you are hindering happiness. If you are holding onto all the “bad” things that everyone has done to you, then you are not enjoying God’s blessings. If God can forgive you of all that you have done, why can’t you forgive someone that has wronged you?
I wish we could all be like my granddaughter and have a mechanism that immediately puts a smile on our face and joy in our heart! It is so simple — and yet profound! Forgive someone —it will make you happy!
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
(Because I’m happy)
