Call Us: 423 661-4734 | Email: requests@comeandreason.com      
Die wetenskap van geluk

Die wetenskap van geluk

Die Bybel sê:

Die wette van die HERE is reg, en diegene wat dit gehoorsaam, is gelukkig (Psalm 19:8 GNT).

Gelukkig is diegene wie se lewens onberispelik is, wat volgens die wet van die HERE leef (Psalm 119:1 GNT).

God se wette is die protokolle waarop ons Skepper lewe en gesondheid gebou het om te werk, insluitende die wette van fisika, die wette van gesondheid en die sedewette. Die Bybel sê vir ons dat geluk slegs moontlik is as ons leef in ooreenstemming met hoe ons Skepper ons gebou het om te funksioneer, as ons leef in ooreenstemming met die wette van gesondheid.

Geluk is die neweproduk van gesondheid op alle terreine – fisies, geestelik, emosioneel, verhoudingsgebonde en geestelik. Wanneer ons fisies siek is, is ons nie gelukkig nie; verstandelike- of emosionele siekte – nie gelukkig nie; verhoudingskonflik – nie gelukkig nie; geestelike siekte (skuldgevoelens, skaamte, veroordeling) – nie gelukkig nie.

Viktor Frankl – Oostenrykse neuroloog, psigiater en Holocaust-oorlewende – het geskryf:

Moenie na sukses mik nie – hoe meer jy daarna mik en dit ‘n teiken maak, hoe meer gaan jy dit mis. Want sukses, soos geluk, kan nie nagestreef word nie; dit moet volg, en dit doen dit slegs as die onbedoelde newe-effek van ‘n mens se persoonlike toewyding aan ‘n saak groter as jouself of as die neweproduk van ‘n mens se oorgawe aan ‘n ander persoon behalwe jouself. Geluk moet gebeur, en dieselfde geld vir sukses: jy moet dit laat gebeur deur nie daaroor om te gee nie. Ek wil hê jy moet luister na wat jou gewete jou beveel om te doen en voortgaan om dit na die beste van jou wete uit te voer. Dan sal jy lewe om te sien dat sukses jou op die lange duur sal volg juis omdat jy vergeet het om daaraan te dink (Man’s Search for Meaning, bll. 16, 17, my beklemtoning).

Baie mense is ongelukkig omdat hulle fisies, sielkundig, verhoudingsgewys of geestelik ongesond is, en ongelukkig sal hulle plesiersoek vervang vir geluk in ‘n poging om beter te “voel”, maar byna al sulke plesiersoeke oortree die wette van gesondheid op een of ander manier (trooseet, alkohol, dwelms, inkopies, dobbel, pornografie, troos in vlugtige verhoudings, ens.)

Weereens, geluk is die byproduk van gesondheid op alle gebiede, en gesondheid word slegs ervaar wanneer ons in harmonie is met God se ontwerpwette vir die lewe – die protokolle waarop die Skepper God die werklikheid gebou het om te werk. Wanneer ons die wette van gesondheid oortree, sal die gevolglike siekte, siektetoestand en lyding wat voorkom ons geluk ondermyn. Dit is waarom die Bybel herhaaldelik vir ons sê, “Gelukkig is dié wat God se wet onderhou!” (Spreuke 29:18 GNT).

Hoewel ons nie kan kies om “gelukkig te wees” of direk geluk te verkry nie, kan ons kies om gesond te wees en te kies om in ooreenstemming met alle aspekte van God se ontwerpwette vir lewe te leef. Ons kan kies om ons harte aan Jesus oor te gee en wedergebore te word met nuwe motiewe van liefde – liefde vir God, vir die waarheid en vir ander. Ons kan kies om ‘n lewe van waarheid na te streef wat geleef word met motiewe om te seën en lief te hê – want die waarheid is altyd die gesonde keuse. Soos ons gesondheid kies, is die byproduk steeds toenemende geluk. En die wetenskap dokumenteer die positiewe uitkomste en verband tussen God se ontwerpwette en ons gesondheid en geluk.

  • In ‘n studie van ses weke het navorsers deelnemers lukraak in ‘n kontrolegroep en twee aktiewe groepe verdeel. Een aktiewe groep moes ‘jou seëninge een keer per week op Sondae tel’, terwyl die ander aktiewe groep drie keer per week ‘jou seëninge moes tel’ – op Sondae, Dinsdae en Donderdae. Dit is gedoen deur lyste te maak van dinge waarvoor hulle dankbaar was. Die navorsers het bevind dat:
    • Diegene wat hul seëninge een keer per week getel het, het verbetering in dankbaarheid en geluk gehad, terwyl beide die kontroles en diegene wat hul seëninge drie keer per week getel het, vermindering in beide dankbaarheid en geluk gehad het.
    • Een keer per week se tel van seëninge het ‘n werklike dankbaarheid en waardering veroorsaak, terwyl dit drie keer per week ‘n desensitisering veroorsaak het waarin die lys opstel sleurwerk, ‘n taak, roetine en miskien selfs ‘n las geword het, en sodoende geluk verminder het (Lyubomirsky, S et al, “Pursuit happiness, the architecture of sustainable change.” Hersiening van Algemene Sielkunde. 2005; 9(2)111–131).
  • In ‘n studie van vier weke het navorsers deelnemers in ‘n kontrolegroep en twee aktiewe bemiddelingsgroepe geskei. Een aktiewe groep moes dade van goedhartigheid vir ander doen, terwyl die ander aktiewe groep dade van goedhartigheid vir hulself moes doen. Aan die einde van die studie, en ook op ‘n latere opvolgpunt, het navorsers bevind:
    • Diegene wat dade van vriendelikheid vir ander gedoen het, was gelukkiger as die kontrolegroep, maar diegene wat dade van vriendelikheid vir hulself gedoen het, was nie anders as die kontrolegroep nie (Nelson, SK et al., Emosies. 2016; 16(6):850–861).
    • Dade van vriendelikheid teenoor ander aktiveer breinbane wat die liggaam se streskaskade kalmeer en lei tot beter fisiese en geestelike gesondheid. Dade van vriendelikheid teenoor self het nie dieselfde voordeel nie.
  • In ‘n ander studie van vier weke wou navorsers sien of dade van vriendelikheid meer doen as om net ‘n emosionele toestand van geluk te bring. Is daar fisiese voordele aan dade van goedhartigheid? Die navorsers het deelnemers in vier groepe verdeel – ‘n kontrole groep, diegene wat dade van vriendelikheid vir ander moes doen, diegene wat dade van vriendelikheid vir die wêreld moes doen (soos om vullis langs die pad op te tel), en diegene wat dade van vriendelikheid vir hulself gedoen het. Hulle het toe geen (gene) reaksie in witbloedselle ondersoek om te meet of daar verskille in immuniteit was. Die navorsers het bevind dat:
    • In vergelyking met die kontrole groep het diegene wat dade van vriendelikheid vir ander verrig het, minder inflammasie ervaar en die vermoë om virusse te beveg het verbeter. Met ander woorde, geenuitdrukking het epigeneties verander om gesondheid te verbeter as gevolg van hierdie dade.
    • Maar diegene wat dade van vriendelikheid teenoor die wêreld of vir hulself gedoen het, het nie van die kontrole groep verskil nie (Nelson-Coffey, SK, et al., Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2017; 81:8-13).
  • Navorsers het ook bevind dat dade van vriendelikheid of geluk ingrypings (happiness interventions) in sommige situasies ‘n terugslag reaksie kan hê en ‘n persoon minder gelukkig kan maak. Soos:
    • Wanneer die motivering om dit te doen selfgefokus is, soos om dade van vriendelikheid te doen sodat ander meer van jou sal hou of jy bevordering of lof sal kry, ens. dus geen verbetering in geluk nie. Om die voordeel te verkry, moet die aksie voortspruit uit ‘n hartsmotief wat van plan is om ‘n ander te bevoordeel, dit wil sê uit liefde; dit is nie die daad self nie!
    • Wanneer hierdie dade ‘n las word, roetine, werk, eerder as werklike liefde.
    • Wanneer hulle ‘n mens se hart, oortuigings of huidige ingesteldheid weerspreek:
      • Soos ‘n persoon wat in kliniese depressie is en ‘n dankbaarheidslys maak; Dit kan eintlik veroorsaak dat die persoon skuldig voel of soos ‘n las vir ander voel terwyl hulle dink aan hoeveel ander vir hulle gedoen het.
      • Kulturele teenstrydighede – in sommige Oosterse kulture word die daad om ‘n mens se ouers te bedank vir ‘n goeie werk in die grootmaak van hul kinders as ‘n belediging beskou, dit wil sê asof hulle nie hul plig teenoor hul gesin sou nagekom het nie.
      • Aksies wat in stryd is met ‘n persoon se basiese persoonlikheid, soos ‘n introverte persoon wat opdrag gegee word om voor ‘n groep dankie te sê.

Geluk is slegs moontlik in harmonie met God se ontwerpwette vir die lewe, en navorsing het tot dusver getoon dat die grootste aksie wat ‘n mens kan neem wat konsekwent groter geluk meebring, is om onselfsugtig te leef, ander lief te hê en goedhartige dade teenoor ander te doen.

 

 

Donate online, securely via PayPal using your credit or debit card (no PayPal account needed, unless you want to set up a monthly, recurring payment).


cancel recurring payment

 

Want to use zelle instead?
See how on our
Support and Donations page.

Upcoming Events

calendar

Testimonial Post Slider

Testimony 16

Your seminars are still inspiring and changing our lives and we continue to share the principles we have learned from you. Your ministry has changed our lives!

E.W.

 

Testimony 6

I got the book “Could It Be This Simple?” a few months ago and the reading was wonderful and I was fascinated. I lent the book to a friend at work. She is having a difficult time and the book is helping her to find Jesus and I found this very exciting. She has asked me questions and I can see her life changing.

H. S., Australia

 

Testimony 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

Testimony 47

I can’t even begin to thank you and your ministry enough for introducing me to the Truth about a loving and merciful God! I have my daughter and her in-laws to thank for sharing with me “The God-Shaped Brain” as well as your website. I listen to the Bible study class lessons on my daily walk. May God continue to bless your thirst-quenching ministry!

Liz H., Port Angeles, WA, USA

 

 

Testimony 40

I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

Then I found Come and Reason Ministries and have come under some extreme pressure when I speak about the ministry. One time a member sent me an internet article titled “Whats wrong with Tim Jennings?” I asked her what she thought of it and she said “I don’t know, I didn’t read it.”

I have always wanted to find out for myself the truth about God, so I stayed with the Design Law construct and have been liberated to understand the big picture. Once we consider Design Law, all other Bible stories and prophecies seem to fit perfectly. It is truly beautiful to see people grasping how God operates this Universe of Love and the liberation it has provided in their lives. It blows my mind to see how consistent Design law is with what our founders believed. I hear statements like “This makes so much sense.”

Tom W., Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA

 

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 1

Thank you! I love listening to the Come And Reason Ministries Bible study classes and am using some of your notes to get the lessons together that I will be teaching. You always have such good quotes and Bible texts and pull things together to make good sense.

T. C., IN, USA

 

Testimony 46

Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

Beverly S., South Africa

 

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 23

I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

L. G., Oakland, MI, USA

 

Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 13

I borrowed “Healing The Mind” DVDs from a friend and showed them at my home for a small gathering of women friends. Neither of my friends are Adventist, but they both enjoyed and embraced the messages you taught. In fact, one of the ladies prayed out loud in our group and that was the first time she had ever had public prayer.

J.B. ,Dalles, OR, USA

 

Testimony 45

I have been confused for years about what [christianity] calls [its] most disgusting teaching. It has never made much sense to me and for that reason has been evermore empty. I have listened to your class off and on and have struggled determining what is truth, because of the resistance design law encounters in the church. So, I thank God for your ministry. What you teach makes sense. It’s logical and backed up by the power of love. I have never seen that in Christ until now. I am astounded by the insight that is found when we look at God’s ministry through design law. All strength to this message, as I believe it to be the power of God.

Brendon S.

 

Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA